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Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, finds herself back in the legal spotlight as her half-sister Samantha Markle has filed a fresh appeal in her defamation lawsuit against Meghan. Samantha alleges that several statements made by Meghan over the years have severely damaged her reputation and career prospects.
The ongoing legal battle between the two sisters dates back to 2021 when Samantha first launched her lawsuit claiming Meghan had publicly portrayed her in a negative light. Specifically, Samantha argued that Meghan labeled her as a "lying racist fame seeker" in interviews with Oprah Winfrey and comments made in the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.
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According to court documents, Samantha asserts this portrayal by Meghan has led to widespread harassment and distressing experiences in her daily life such as grocery shopping. She argues Meghan's actions have had a global impact on damaging her public image. The defamation claims stem from Meghan's comments made during her infamous Oprah interview in 2021 as well as the more recent Netflix series.
Despite the serious allegations, a Florida judge originally dismissed Samantha's case last March. Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell determined that Samantha had failed to identify any specific statements made by Meghan that could substantiate her defamation claims. The dismissal was also "with prejudice" meaning Samantha could not simply refile the same case.
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However, in this latest legal filing, Samantha's legal team argues the judge overlooked the implied defamation resulting from facts Meghan omitted in her statements. If successful, this appeal would mean overturning the March dismissal and allowing the case to proceed to a scheduled November 2022 trial date.
Samantha is now seeking at least $75,000 in damages for defamation and defamation by implication related to some of Meghan's comments in her Oprah interview. A key claim involves Meghan asserting she grew up as an only child, implying she barely knew Samantha. Samantha insists this portrayal of their relationship is false.
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In her ruling, Judge Honeywell judged Meghan's statements about her childhood as opinions rather than factual claims. She also found Meghan's remarks about her lacking closeness with Samantha to be a personal view rather than defamatory. Regarding Meghan's claim about Samantha changing her name, the judge deemed that statement substantially true based on evidence.
While dismissing most of the initial claims, one point the judge found perplexing was a statement made by Prince Harry in the Netflix documentary about the British press spreading "hate and lies." Judge Honeywell said this comment either showed a lack of legal understanding or was irrelevant to include.
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Despite the previous dismissal, Samantha has now filed this fresh appeal which her lawyers believe may be her final chance to seek legal redress against Meghan. The timing of the appeal, just two days after Meghan's 43rd birthday, adds a layer of personal significance.
Samantha's attorneys are requesting an oral hearing to further clarify the complex legal issues involved. Meanwhile, Meghan remains in the public spotlight with recent emotional interviews discussing her mental health struggles as a working royal. By sharing her experiences, Meghan aims to help others facing similar challenges.
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Only time will tell if Samantha's ongoing legal battle against Meghan will be allowed to continue or if this latest appeal will meet the same dismissal as before. For now, Meghan Markle finds herself once more embroiled in the defamation claims of her estranged half-sister Samantha.
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