The Mighty Nation of Israel
Sues the Operators of a Washington Grocery Store
In 2010, the Board of Directors of the Olympia Food Cooperative Grocery Store decided to boycott goods made in
Israel. The reason for that decision is best told
by the Coop's own Web Log.
Israel's direct involvement in the suit is demonstrated at length through the press
releases issue by Center for Constitional Rights,
the defendants' answering brief to The Lawfare
Project, and the joint Amicus Curiae Brief of the Jewish Voice for Peace et al.
Many of the facts and the documents presented here are cribbed
from Center for Constitutional Rights web page
on the issue.
- May 31, 2011: According to the undisputed record, Sulkin and/or his colleage sent a letter to the
members of the board directors of the Olympia Food Cooperative, threatening a "complicated, burdensome, and
expensive" lawsuit if they did not permanently abandon their boycott of israeli goods. The letter was signed
by Kent Davis, Linda Davis, Susan Mayer, Susan Trinin, Jeffrey Trinin, hereafter Davis (&c. Plaintiffs).
- 2011-05-31: Letter from Plaintiffs to OFC
Board members threatening suit. The letter is authenticated in a subsequent declaration by Atty. Bruce Johnson.
- September 2, 2011: Davis (&c. Plaintiffs) file suit in Superior Court against the persons of
sixteen current and former members of the Board of Directors of the Olympia Food Cooperative. The official
name of the suit, "Davis v. Cox," is derived from the names the first plaintiff (Davis) and the first defendant
(Cox).
- Court Finds Davis (&c. Plaintiffs) in Violation of Anti-SLAPP Statute
- 2011-11-01: Cox (&c. Defendants) Special Motion to Strike under Washington's Anti-SLAPP Statute
- 2011-12-01 Davis (&c. Plaintiffs) Brief Opposing Defendants' Special Motion
- 2011-12-15 Cox (&c. Defendants) Reply to Plaintiff's Brief Opposing Defendants' Special Motion
- 2012-02-23 Oral Hearing on SLAPP Motion
- 2012-02-27: Court Grants Anti-SLAPP Motion
- On the same day they answered the anti-SLAPP motion, Davis (&c. Plaintiffs) Moved to Force Cox
(&c. Defendants) to Comply with Discovery Requests. Court Denies Motion and Disallows Further Discovery.
- 2012-12-01: Davis (&c. Plaintiffs) Cross-Motion for Discovery
- 2012-01-11 Cox (&c. Defendants) Brief Opposing Plaintiff's Cross-Motion for Discovery
- 2012-02-22 Davis (&c. Plaintiffs) Reply on Cross-Motion
- 2012-03-13 Transcript of Ruling on Davis (&c. Plaintiff) Discovery Motion
- Court Awards Anti-SLAPP Sanctions and Costs to Cox (&c. Defendants, i.e., OFC Board Memebers)
- 2012-03-20 Cox (&c. Defendants) Motion for Mandatory Costs
- 2012-03-28 Davis (&c. Plaintiffs) Opposition to Motion for Fees and Penalties
- 2012-03-29 Cox (&c. Defendants) Reply in Support of Motion for Mandatory Costs
- 2012-07-12 Hearing Transcript Olympia Coop
- Davis (&c. Plaintiff)'s Direct Appeal to the Washington Supreme Court, Court Transfers Case to Court of Appeals
- 2013-02-22: Davis Petition and Brief to the Supreme Court
- ⋄ 2014-01-27: Amicus Curiae Brief by The Lawfare Project
- → 2014-02-11: Cox's Answer to the Lawfare Project
- 2013-05-24: Cox Answer to Petition
- 2013-08-06: Order
- Washington State Court of Appeals, Div. II, Affirms in Favor of Cox (&c. Defendants, i.e. OFC Board Members)
- Washington State Supreme Court Ponders the Case
Oral Argument before the Washington Supreme Court
Center For Constitutional Rights Press Releases
- Center for Constitutional Rights full information page
- November
2, 2011: Food Co-op Board of Directors Fights Back Against Lawsuit Brought by Five Members Over Boycott of
Israeli Goods
- February
23, 2012: Constitutional Rights Attorneys Urge Court to Dismiss Lawsuit Filed Over Boycott of Israeli Goods
- February
27, 2012: Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Filed Over Boycott of Israeli Goods
- July
12, 2012: Plaintiffs in Olympia Food Co-op SLAPP Case Assessed Penalty, Costs and Attorneys’ Fees for Suit over
Boycott of Israeli Goods
- April
7, 2014: Appeals Court Upholds Olympia Food Co-op's Boycott of Israeli Goods
- November
21, 2014: Anti-SLAPP Law Protects Free Speech in Olympia Co-op Israel Boycott Case, Attorneys Say
- January
20, 2015: Free Speech Case on Right to Boycott Goes Before Washington Supreme Court
Press Coverage
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