Tort Law
Phone Book Company Settles Suit over Restaurant's Listing Under 'Animal Carcass Removal'
A phone book company has settled a defamation lawsuit that claimed a restaurant listing under “animal carcass removal” caused a drop-off in business.
The suit by the parent company of Bar 3 Bar-B-Q had claimed the placement was intentional, the Associated Press reports. Bar 3 Bar-B-Q owner Hunter Lacey had alleged a salesman for Dex Media Inc. listed the restaurant under “animal carcass removal” because Lacey had refused to buy an ad.
Jay Leno featured the ad on his show last year.
According to AP, “settlement talks began in earnest” after U.S. Magistrate Keith Strong refused to dismiss the case, citing Dex’s late disclosure of the salesman’s recorded phone calls and a company document.
