 Image from https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/libel.html
Madam Justice Pollak has found Bob Lepp to have defamed Mandie Eddie online and through email and mail correspondence to hundreds of people as well as organizations over a period of 5 years.Mr. Lepp has, over a five-year period, stated that she is dishonest, corrupt, incompetent, mentally unstable, a societal danger and a solicitor of bribes." - Pollak J. I have found that the defamatory posts are untrue and there is no justification for their publication." - Pollak J. On January 3, 2023 Madam Justice Pollak released a decision finding that Mr. Lepp has defamed me and awarding damages including punitive damages in the amount of $550,000.00, which is one of the largest defamatory damage award in Ontario history.
A copy of the decision is attached should you wish to review the court’s decision which found the Mr. Lepp was motivated by malice toward me. I agree that Mr. Lepp’s behavior meets the test of being malicious, high-handed and deserving of aggravated damages. I find that his behaviour does shock the conscience of the court and gives rise to punitive damages with the intent to deter and punish such behavior." - Pollak J. You may read the decision by scrolling down, or you can download the file here:
"I accept Ms. Eddie’s evidence that, as a result of these defamatory statements, she has lost her employment and is unable to find alternate employment despite applying for numerous other positions." - Pollak J Defamation decision that the Justice states "behaviour that does shock the conscience of the court".Multiple motions were filed and abandoned by Bob Lepp, requiring responses by Mandie Eddie's lawyer, Gwendolyn Adrian incurring costs for preparation and attendance between 2020 - 2022. Examples:
May 19 2021 - Mr. Lepp served a motion record, returnable May 19, 2021. He did not confirm this motion but abandoned it. (Approx $5,000 cost to Mandie Eddie) Aug 12 2021 - Without consulting counsel with respect to availability, Mr. Lepp served another motion record. Mr. Lepp incorrectly dated the motion record and booked the motion for the following date of August 12, 2021. The Plaintiff booked a cross-motion for August 12, 2021, the return date to strike Mr. Lepp’s defence for breaching a court order. Mr. Lepp did not appear but booked another motion returnable August 23, 2021. Mr. Lepp did not confirm the motion returnable August 12, 2021, but Plaintiff’s counsel did confirm the cross-motion. At the return date, Mr. Lepp advised the court that he had not booked a motion. (Approx costs to Mandie Eddie $8,000 +) On December 12, 2021, Mr. Lepp requisitioned a request for a return date through civil practice court but did not attend. (Approx costs to Mandie Eddie $2,000) Cross-Motion by Mandie Eddie for Summary Judgement July 12th & 13th 2022 for defamation on original claim - heard by Justice Pollak - decision rendered January 3rd 2023 (Costs to Mandie Eddie for this $25,000 +) In addition to these costs - there are the costs of reading and responding to multiple emails from Bob Lepp DAILY - resulting in at least $50 per day, per month - over the course of this litigation. (5 years, $1,000 a month = $60,000 minimum) After the January 3rd decision appeals to the Ontario Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court were all unsuccessful. Read more here |
Updates
Justice Chalmers orders vacant occupancy and sale of Bob Lepp's house to satisfy the judgement of Justice Pollack. (orders vacant occupancy January 15th 2025) Read more here Eight year timeline - the wheels of justice turn so slowly as to impoverish the victimThis action was commenced by Statement of Claim, dated November 9, 2018. The Statement of Defence is dated December 3, 2018. Mr. Lepp refused to participate in discovery in this action.
Initial Claim - Eddie v Lepp filed September 2018 - amended 2021 Immediately after Ms. Eddie advised Mr. Lepp of her intention to bring a motion to compel discovery, he served a motion record seeking relief under section 137.1 of the Courts of - Page 3 - Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.43 (“the CJA”). The action was stayed pending the results of the motion, which was heard August 26, 2019. On December 10, 2020, Mr. Lepp’s motion was dismissed. COURT FILE NO. CV-18-608665 -SLAPP motion by Bob Lepp to dismiss the the claim - heard November 15, 2019 - Justice Sossin - dismissed without costs - costs to victim $22,000.00 See all judgements here Download the full decision on Defamation here.CITATION: Eddie v. Lepp, 2023 ONSC 49
COURT FILE NO.: CV-18-608665 DATE: 2023-01-03
Lepp claims he has a right to comment - Judge disagrees.After being served court documents advising he was named in this lawsuit - he brings a motion before the court - saying, in short, that he can make any comment he wished about me as he is commenting on a public figure. The legislation he refers to is SLAPP legislation. You can read more about SLAPP here
Justice Sossin heard the motion and dismissed it - ruling his comments were of a personal nature so the SLAPP legislation does not apply. Read the full decision dismissing the motion below.
| ||||||