Manley’s Solicitors, a leading Chester law firm, appeared in the United States District Court in New York this week in relation to the privacy rights of their client. The solicitors virtually represented a client before a Senior US District Judge in New York. The libel case is part of a web of litigation which has emerged following the conviction and death of Jeffery Epstein and the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell.
Maxwell was sentenced on 28th June 2022 to 240 months in prison following her conviction in December 2021 for her role in a scheme to sexually exploit and abuse multiple minor girls with Epstein over the course of a decade. She was sued for libel by one of Epstein’s victims and the US court was called upon to consider release of court papers in the case. Manleys argue that unsealing without redaction to protect victim identities, privacy and other legal rights is not lawful or reasonable.
Solicitor Peri Mornington, appearing at the hearing explained “The Judge made a decision on Friday 18th November 2022 to allow the release of papers without redaction in some cases. As this impacted one of our longstanding clients, we lodged an ex-parte application for stay last Saturday – which was granted very quickly” Manleys client, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is referred to in various testimonies and statements which include major inaccuracies. The stay was granted pending an appeal. Mornington continued: “We were impressed with the speed of the Court’s response to an application made on the afternoon of Saturday 19 November 2022. By that evening the Court granted our application pending appeal. New York is famously referred to in lyrics as “the city that never sleeps”- that was certainly true of the very efficient operation of its legal system last weekend.”
This is the second case in 2022 in which Manleys have represented clients in the USA. It has been actively involved in pursuing another libel case in Miami, working hand in hand with its’ US instructed attorneys Jeff Gutchess and Courtney Caprio of AXS Law Group and has again now turned to them to collaborate on the appeal which will be lodged shortly in New York.
Manleys was founded in 2012 by media lawyer Mark Manley. The award-winning specialist litigation team is recognised by both the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners independent legal directories.
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