California Appellate Court Affirms Win in Case Brought by Guest on ‘Dr. Phil’

October 13, 2021 | Client Results



Jackson Walker attorneys Charles L. BabcockNancy W. Hamilton, and Joel R. Glover successfully represented Dr. Phil McGraw, CBS Studios, and Peteski Productions, Inc. in a case brought by a guest on Dr. Phil who claimed she had been made to look foolish and, as a result, suffered extreme emotional distress.

The show detailed her romantic relationship with a man 24 years her junior who was also a patient she was professionally treating for mental health issues. The young man’s mother and grandmother appeared on the show and claimed that she kidnapped their child and manipulated him to turn against his family.

The Los Angeles Superior Court granted Jackson Walker’s anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss the case and awarded attorneys’ fees to our clients. The guest appealed, and the California Second District Court of Appeal affirmed in a lengthy opinion on June 30, 2021.

For more information about the case, see the City News Service article “Appeals Court Affirms Dismissal of Woman’s Suit vs. ‘Dr. Phil,’ CBS.”

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Founded in 1887, Jackson Walker continues to advance the world of business by helping companies of all sizes navigate today’s increasingly complex, interconnected legal landscape. With over one-third of the Firm’s more than 400 attorneys practicing litigation, JW has one of the largest trial practices in the Southwest and has been recognized as a National Tier 1-ranked “Best Law Firm” in the area of First Amendment litigation for nine consecutive years. To explore the Firm’s experience defending media clients against libel, obscenity, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress cases, visit our Media practice page.