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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURT OF APPEALS
No. 07-CV-159
SOLERS, INC.,
APPELLANT,
v.
JOHN DOE.
SOFTWARE & INFORMATION INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION,
APPELLEE.
Appeal from the Superior Court
of the District of Columbia
(CAB3779-05)
(Hon. Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, Motions Judge)
(Hon. Jennifer M. Anderson, Motions Judge)
(Argued June 19, 2008 Decided August 13, 2009)
Daniel J. Tobin for appellant.
Charles D. Tobin, with whom Leo G. Rydzewski was on the brief, for appellee
Software & Information Industry Association.
Robert A. Long, Jr., Martin F. Hansen, and Mark W. Mosier filed a brief
amicus curiae for the Business Software Alliance in support of appellee.
Before REID, GLICKMAN, and FISHER, Associate Judges.
FISHER, Associate Judge: In this unusual case, the defendant has not yet been
identified. Appellant Solers, Inc. filed a complaint against John Doe, alleging defamation
and tortious interference with "prospective advantageous business opportunities." Seeking
2
to learn the identity of John Doe so that it could proceed with service of process, Solers next
served a subpoena upon appellee, the Software & Information Industry Association ("SIIA").
In response, SIIA filed a motion to quash the subpoena. The trial court granted that motion
and later dismissed Solers' lawsuit for failure to state a claim. Concluding that both rulings
were made in error, we vacate the trial court's orders and remand for further proceedings
consistent with this opinion.
I. Factual Background
Appellant Solers, Inc. "is a for-profit Virginia corporation with its principal place of
business in Arlington, Virginia. [Its] work principally consists of developing software and
other technology for agencies within the Department of Defense." Solers is a privately held
company, owned by its employees. Appellee SIIA describes itself as "the principal trade
association for the software and digital content industry" and explains that "[o]ne of [its]
chief missions is to protect the intellectual property of member companies by fighting the
software piracy that threatens to undermine the entire industry." While Solers' work is
primarily in the same industry that SIIA seeks to protect, Solers is not a member of SIIA.
In order "[t]o fulfill its mission, SIIA [has] established an Anti-Piracy Division and
developed anti-piracy programs involving both education and enforcement." "SIIA's
3
enforcement program enables sources with knowledge of software piracy to report
anonymously to SIIA via telephone or the Internet about companies [committing
piracy] . . . ." To encourage reporting, "SIIA allows individuals to submit information . . .
on a confidential basis." Through this program, John Doe, an "individual," reported that
Solers was engaged in illegal activity. Accusations of copyright infringement followed, and
Solers sued Doe but has not been able to learn his or her identity.1
A. SIIA's Accusation of Copyright Infringement
SIIA acknowledges that, "[i]n March 2005, [it] received a communication via the
Internet from [Doe] who alleged that Solers was using unlicensed software." Soon
thereafter, on April 29, 2005, SIIA's attorney wrote to the President of Solers, accusing
Solers of "copyright infringement." The letter stated that SIIA "has evidence that Solers, Inc.
is engaged in the unlawful copying and use of software published by the software publishers
listed in [the attached exhibit] in violation of the Copyright Act, Title 17 U.S.C. § 501,
et seq." The letter announced that "[SIIA is] prepared to seek remedies available under the
Copyright Act," but explained that SIIA "prefer[s] to work with companies to reach a
resolution that is quick, fair and out of the public spotlight . . . [through] a three part process
The record does not indicate Doe's gender, but, consistently with the caption of this1
appeal, we will use masculine terms to refer to the defendant-in-waiting.
4
[that leads to] an easy and quick settlement . . . ."
SIIA's letter demanded that Solers complete an internal audit of its software programs,
instructed Solers on how to complete the audit, and requested that Solers deliver the results
to SIIA. According to SIIA's letter, once the audit was completed, the parties would
negotiate a settlement and SIIA would release Solers "from all claims and causes of action
for copyright infringement." The letter warned, however, that "if Solers [] is unwilling to
promptly conduct an audit and the other activities mentioned [in the letter], [Solers] should
be aware that SIIA will not hesitate to initiate litigation against Solers [] for copyright
infringement." The letter did not provide any information about the alleged "evidence" of
Solers' "copyright infringement," or any details regarding the source of this "evidence."
According to Solers, "[b]etween May 2 and May 13, 2005, representatives of SIIA and
Solers communicated regarding [SIIA's] allegations of software piracy by Solers. Through
these communications, Solers informed SIIA that it had reviewed its computer systems and
confirmed that Solers had violated no party's copyright." Solers further asserts that "[a]s a
result of the communications between Solers and SIIA between May 2 and May 13, Solers
satisfied SIIA that [Doe's] allegations were false. On Friday, May 13, 2005, counsel for
SIIA confirmed to [Solers' attorney] that SIIA had `closed its file' on Solers." (SIIA states
that it decided not to pursue a claim against Solers in order to protect the identity of
5
John Doe, not because it concluded that his allegations were false.)
B. The Identity of John Doe
John Doe used the "website reporting form" that is part of SIIA's "Corporate AntiPiracy
program" to provide information about Solers. Sources, like Doe, "who report piracy
by corporate software end-users to SIIA[,] may become eligible for financial payment under
[this program.]" Source reports "are received by two SIIA employees who . . . forward
[them] to [the program's legal counsel] for [] review" and a determination as to whether SIIA
should "pursue the report further."
SIIA asserts that it has kept Doe's identity and the information that Doe provided
about Solers confidential. SIIA has a "long standing policy of keeping the identity of [its]
sources anonymous (unless required by law to disclose the identity)[, and] . . . maintain[ing]
as confidential the information provided by its sources[.]" Thus, when Solers asked SIIA to
voluntarily disclose Doe's identity in May 2005, SIIA refused to do so. The only information
SIIA has disclosed is that Doe is an "individual" who "does not work or reside in the District
of Columbia" and "did not choose to participate in SIIA's Reward Program and therefore
was never asked to, and did not sign, the Terms and Conditions of the Corporate Anti-Piracy
Report Program."
6
II. Procedural History
On May 18, 2005, Solers filed a complaint against Doe which alleged one count of
defamation and one count of tortious interference with "prospective advantageous business
opportunities[,]" and requested injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and punitive
damages. The following day Solers issued a subpoena to SIIA, seeking production of all
documents related to the identity of Doe, Doe's initial report and his ensuing correspondence
with SIIA, and "[a]ll documents . . . believed to be `evidence'" of Solers' alleged copyright
infringement. SIIA, which is not a party to the underlying suit, lodged objections to the
subpoena on June 9, 2005, and, in response, Solers immediately moved to enforce the
subpoena. SIIA then filed a motion to quash.
On December 16, 2005, Judge Blackburne-Rigsby heard arguments from Solers and
SIIA on these two motions. Counsel for SIIA informed us at oral argument that SIIA
notified John Doe of the lawsuit and the subpoena. However, Doe did not participate in this
hearing, either in person or through counsel, and only SIIA made arguments in support of
Doe's interests.
Solers argued that "where a plaintiff comes to court and accuses [a] defendant of
illegal conduct, [the defendant] can't hide behind the First Amendment . . . to remain
7
anonymous." Solers conceded that some anonymous speech on "public affairs" is protected,
but it argued that such protection is not appropriate here because "[t]his was a private e-mail
from Doe to a private organization accusing [Solers] of fundamentally improper conduct in
the industry in which it operates." SIIA, on the other hand, argued that the "anonymous
speaker" on the internet has First Amendment rights and that a plaintiff must "do more than
file a lawsuit" in order to unmask him. Acknowledging that it was raising novel issues in the
District of Columbia, SIIA presented case law from other jurisdictions.2
At a status hearing on April 28, 2006, the court heard additional argument from
Solers. Expressing concern that "there's been no financial or economic harm demonstrated3
in the pleadings[,]" the court asked Solers to address this issue, explaining that "I get to this
question about . . . harm . . . [because] one of the test[s] that I should apply in determining
whether or not to compel [SIIA] to release [Doe's identity] is whether or not your claim will
withstand a motion to dismiss." In response, Solers argued that "the harm is actual," "the
After the parties presented oral argument, but before this opinion was released,2
Judge Bates of the United States District Court considered a similar case where the plaintiff
sought to learn the identities of his alleged defamers. Sinclair v. TubeSockTedD, 596
F. Supp. 2d 128 (D.D.C. 2009). Although he discussed the case law from other jurisdictions
addressing this issue, Judge Bates ultimately dismissed the plaintiff's complaint for lack of
personal and subject matter jurisdiction and therefore did not need to resolve "the precise
standard appropriate for determining whether disclosure of anonymous Internet speakers is
warranted." Id. at 132.
Due, apparently, to its non-party status, SIIA did not receive notice of this hearing3
and did not attend.
8
harm is reputational," and "when we get into discovery with John Doe we'll find out what
other harm has been caused, and that may very well be economic." The court then questioned
Solers about the "other efforts [it has] taken to identify John Doe" and Solers explained that
it "is not aware of anyone else that John Doe has communicated the defamation to . . . [and
is] not aware of any other way to get this information."
After the status hearing, Solers filed an Amended Complaint and both Solers and SIIA
filed supplemental memoranda in support of their respective motions. On August 16, 2006,
the trial court issued an order granting SIIA's Motion to Quash the Subpoena. Although the
court discussed the various standards used in other jurisdictions for deciding whether to
enforce a subpoena seeking the identity of someone who speaks anonymously over the
internet, it applied the standard for dismissing a complaint for failure to state a claim.
Super. Ct. Civ. R.12 (b)(6). The court concluded that "Solers has not made a claim of relief
for its defamation allegation . . . because it alleges no facts to demonstrate that it has suffered
any harm/injury . . . [and it] must show actual harm." The court further reasoned that
"[b]ecause Solers' claim could not withstand a motion to dismiss standard, its need for Doe's
identity is not outweighed by SIIA's interest in keeping that identity private." [App. 226] It
also concluded that Solers had failed to "exhaust[] alternative methods of obtaining Doe's
identity" and that it would not enforce a subpoena until Solers has done so. Relying on this
analysis, Judge Anderson, who had not previously been involved in the case, later dismissed
9
the suit in its entirety "for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted."
III. Standard of Review
This appeal presents two distinct questions subject to de novo review. "Because a
motion to dismiss a complaint under Rule 12(b)(6) presents questions of law, our standard of
review . . . is de novo." In re Estate of Curseen, 890 A.2d 191, 193 (D.C. 2006) (internal4
citations and quotation marks omitted). "We apply the same standard as the trial court,
meaning we accept the allegations of the complaint as true, and construe all facts and
inferences in favor of the plaintiff." Id. (internal citations and quotation marks omitted).
"Indeed it may appear on the face of the pleadings that a recovery is very remote and unlikely
but that is not the test." Id. at 194. "[S]ince we take the facts alleged in the complaint as
true, . . . the presentation of evidence to counter a Rule 12(b)(6) motion is not required." Id.
(internal citations and quotation marks omitted).
"While trial court determinations on motions to quash typically are reviewed for abuse
of discretion," this case does not present the typical situation of "quintessentially discretionary
This case is unusual because defendant Doe has not been served with the complaint4
and never filed a motion to dismiss. However, the analysis accompanying the order of
dismissal resembled that applied to a Rule 12 (b)(6) motion. Accordingly, we will assess the
dismissal as if it originated from a motion to dismiss filed by the defendant.
10
judgment calls . . . [that] turn on fact-specific determinations of unreasonableness and
oppressiveness . . . ." In re Public Defender Service, 831 A.2d 890, 898 (D.C. 2003) (internal
citations omitted). Rather, "our analysis in this case must focus not on the motions judge's
findings of fact or exercise of discretion, but on the correctness of the judge's legal
conclusions ­ [her] statement of the applicable law and [her articulation of the appropriate
standard.]" Id. A trial court "would necessarily abuse its discretion if it based its ruling on an
erroneous view of the law . . . ." Cooter & Gell v. Hartmarx Corp., 496 U.S. 384, 405 (1990).
IV. The Order of Dismissal
On February 12, 2007, the trial court ordered "this action [] dismissed for failure to
state a claim upon which relief can be granted[.]" See Super. Ct. Civ. R. 12 (b)(6). To decide
whether Solers sufficiently pled its claims for defamation and tortious interference, we look
for guidance to Super. Ct. Civ. R. 8 (a), which "sets forth the minimum requirements for
pleading a claim for relief." Bolton v. Bernabei & Katz, PLLC, 954 A.2d 953, 963 (D.C.
2008) (internal citations and quotation marks omitted). "All that is required when we consider
the sufficiency of the pleading is a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the
pleader is entitled to relief." Id. The purpose of this statement is to "give the defendant fair
notice of what the [pleader's] claim is and the grounds upon which it rests[.]" Bell Atlantic
Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007) (quoting Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47
11
(1957)). We conclude that the amended complaint sufficiently states claims for defamation
and tortious interference under the fairly minimal pleading requirements of Super. Ct. Civ.
R. 8 (a).5
In order to state a claim of defamation, "plaintiff must allege and prove four elements:
(1) that the defendant made a false and defamatory statement concerning the plaintiff; (2) that
the defendant published the statement without privilege to a third party; (3) that the
defendant's fault in publishing the statement amounted to at least negligence; and (4) either
that the statement was actionable as a matter of law irrespective of special harm or that its
publication caused the plaintiff special harm." Oparaugo v. Watts, 884 A.2d 63, 76 (D.C.
2005) (quoting Crowley v. North Am. Telecomms. Ass'n, 691 A.2d 1169, 1173 n. 2 (D.C.
1997)). Unlike some jurisdictions, which apply a "heightened pleading rule" to claims of
defamation, we instead focus our inquiry on whether "the factual allegations in the appellant's
complaint are sufficient to permit the opposing party to form responsive pleadings, [since this
is] the principal reason that some courts demand a heightened standard of pleading in
defamation[] cases." Oparaugo, 884 A.2d at 76-77 (quoting Crowley, 691 A.2d at 1172)
This appeal does not require us to decide whether this court will follow the "facial5
plausibility" standard recently discussed in Ashcroft v. Iqbal, __ U.S. __, 129 S. Ct. 1937,
1949 (2009). The amended complaint in this case would meet that standard because it pleads
ample "factual content that allows the court [accepting the allegations as true] to draw the
reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged." Id. In other
words, the amended complaint does not consist of "[t]hreadbare recitals of the elements of
a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements . . . ." Id.
12
(internal editing and quotation marks omitted). As to the claim of tortious interference with
prospective advantageous business opportunities, "plaintiff must show that the interference
was intentional and that there was resulting damage." Kreuzer, D.M.D. v. George Washington
University, 896 A.2d 238, 247 (D.C. 2006) (discussing the showing necessary to establish "a
prima facie case of interference with business relations") (internal citations and quotation
marks omitted); accord, NCRIC, Inc. v. Columbia Hospital for Women Medical Center, Inc.,
957 A.2d 890, 897 (D.C. 2008).
Because the trial court's dismissal was based on its conclusion that Solers insufficiently
pleaded harm, which is an essential element of both claims, our analysis will focus on that
issue. During the April 28th hearing, the court expressed concern about, and questioned
Solers extensively on, the sufficiency of its allegations of harm. Solers responded by
amending its complaint to (1) identify itself as a "for-profit" corporation, (2) state that the
"false statements . . . [imply] that its business ethics were improper and untrustworthy . . . [and
that it] lacked fundamental financial integrity and honesty[,]" and (3) allege that, as a result
of Doe's actions, Solers "has been deprived of its good commercial reputation, subject[ed] to
contempt and . . . others within [its] industry [have been deterred] from dealing with it." The
amended complaint also asserts that "Doe's misconduct has caused cognizable harm in an
amount to be proven at trial . . . [and] has caused damage to Solers' prospective advantageous
business opportunities."
13
This language alleges the type of harm that courts have required corporate plaintiffs
to prove when pursuing these types of claims. See Art Metal-U.S.A., Inc. v. United States, 244
U.S. App. D.C. 1, 6, 753 F.2d 1151, 1156 (1985) ("a corporation suing for defamation . . .
may only recover actual damages in the form of lost profits"); Southern Air Transport, Inc. v.
American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., 670 F. Supp. 38, 41 (D.D.C. 1987) ("[D]efamation
suits brought by corporations will lie when `the corporation is one for profit, and the matter
tends to prejudice it in the conduct of its business or to deter others from dealing with
it . . . .'") (quoting RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS § 561(a) (1977)), aff'd, 278 U.S. App.
D.C. 222, 877 F.2d 1010 (1989); Martin Marietta Corp. v. Evening Star Newspaper Co., 417
F. Supp. 947, 955 (D.D.C. 1976) ("[because a corporation] has no personal reputation [it] may
be libeled only by imputation about its financial soundness or business ethics") (internal
citations, quotation marks, and italics omitted). Solers has not yet proven harm, but that is not
the question insofar as dismissal for failure to state a claim is concerned. See In re Curseen,
890 A.2d at 193 ("The filing of a motion pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) does not call upon the
plaintiff to offer his proof."). Our conclusion that the amended complaint satisfies the
pleading requirements of Super. Ct. Civ. R. 8 (a) requires us to reverse the trial court's order
of dismissal.6
SIIA asserts that we should not entertain this appeal because Solers in essence6
requested that the trial court dismiss its complaint (so that it could seek appellate review of
the order denying enforcement of its subpoena). See Ganss v. Goldenberg, 39 App. D.C.
597, 599 (1912) (the general rule is that a party which requested or consented to a particular
(continued...)
14
V. The Order Quashing the Subpoena
This appeal presents us with issues of first impression ­ whether the First Amendment
protects the anonymity of someone such as Doe, and, if so, under what circumstances a
plaintiff such as Solers may invoke court processes to learn Doe's identity and have its day
in court. Solers argues that "the First Amendment cannot be used to cloak Doe and his
defamatory communications in anonymity" and that the trial court erred not only when it held
(...continued)6
ruling is estopped from appealing that ruling); Halpern v. Gunn, 57 A.2d 741, 742 (D.C.
1948) (same). The trial court's order states that it is dismissing the action "for failure to state
a claim upon which relief can be granted," but, as the hearing transcript makes clear, the
court understood that Solers could not go forward without the information sought by the
subpoena. This was, in substance, a dismissal for failure to prosecute. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 41
(b). See, e.g., Dobbs v. Providence Hospital, 736 A.2d 216, 219 (D.C. 1999) (plaintiff
"appeals the dismissal of her case for failure to prosecute"); Brown v. Cohen, 505 A.2d 77,
77 (D.C. 1986) ("Appellants-plaintiffs appeal the dismissal of their suit for lack of
prosecution under Super. Ct. Civ. R. 41(b).").
The posture of this case is similar to Zassenhaus v. Evening Star Newspaper Co., 131
U.S. App. D.C. 384, 404 F.2d 1361 (1968), where the district court denied the plaintiffs'
request for a letter rogatory. Plaintiffs' counsel then "remarked that they were unable to
proceed without it `so the case may be dismissed.'" Id. at 386 n.10, 404 F.2d at 1363 n.10.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit allowed the
plaintiffs to proceed with their appeal because "[t]he dismissal, though perhaps in a very
loose sense solicited by appellants, was not voluntary; it was a reaction to the court's refusal
to assist them in obtaining indispensable testimony." Id. Similarly here, Solers is unable to
proceed with its case as a result of the trial court's denial of its motion to enforce the
subpoena; therefore, we do not consider the dismissal to be voluntary, and Solers is not
estopped from pursuing this appeal.
15
Solers' discovery request to a heightened standard but also when it required Solers to "exhaust
all alternative sources" before it would enforce the subpoena. SIIA, on the other hand, asserts
that the trial court "applied the correct legal standard to Doe's speech" and properly
"determined that a qualified First Amendment privilege applied to Solers' request for
disclosure [of Doe's identity]."
Litigation of these issues usually will be governed by Civil Rule 45 (c)(3)(A)(iii),
which provides the basic framework: "On timely motion, the Court shall quash or modify the
subpoena if it . . . requires disclosure of privileged or other protected matter and no exception
or waiver applies . . . ." Super. Ct. Civ. R. 45 (c)(3)(A)(iii). In our analysis we will consider
the differing standards employed by other jurisdictions "[t]o balance the competing rights of
anonymous internet speakers and parties seeking redress for wrongful communications . . . ."
Mobilisa, Inc. v. Doe, 170 P.3d 712, 717 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2007).
A. The Protection Afforded to Anonymous Speech
The Supreme Court of the United States has recognized that First Amendment
protection extends to some anonymous speech. McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Comm'n, 514 U.S.
334, 341-42 (1995) (While "[a]nonymous pamphlets, leaflets, brochures and even books have
played an important role in the progress of mankind[,] . . . [t]he freedom to publish
16
anonymously extends beyond the literary realm."). "[A] decision in favor of anonymity may
be motivated by fear of economic or official retaliation, by concern about social ostracism, or
merely by a desire to preserve as much of one's privacy as possible." Id. Whatever the
motivation, "an author's decision to remain anonymous, like other decisions concerning
omissions or additions to the content of a publication, is an aspect of the freedom of speech
protected by the First Amendment." Id. at 342.
"It [also] is clear that speech over the internet is entitled to First Amendment protection
[and that] [t]his protection extends to anonymous internet speech." Doe v. Cahill, 884 A.2d
451, 456 (Del. 2005) (citing Reno v. ACLU, 521 U.S. 844, 870 (1997) ("There is `no basis for
qualifying the level of First Amendment scrutiny that should be applied to [the internet].'"));
accord, Sinclair v. TubeSockTedD, 596 F. Supp. 2d 128, 131 (D.D.C. 2009) ("Such rights to
speak anonymously apply . . . to speech on the Internet."); Doe v. 2TheMart.com Inc., 140 F.
Supp. 2d 1088, 1097 (W.D. Wash. 2001) ("[T]he constitutional rights of Internet users,
including the First Amendment right to speak anonymously, must be carefully safeguarded.").
"Anonymous internet speech in blogs or chat rooms in some instances can become the modern
equivalent of political pamphleteering[,]" which the Supreme Court has noted "`is not a
pernicious, fraudulent practice, but an honorable tradition of advocacy and of dissent.'"
Cahill, 884 A.2d at 456 (quoting McIntyre, 514 U.S. at 357).
17
Nevertheless, "`it is well understood that the right of free speech is not absolute at all
times and under all circumstances." Cahill, 884 A.2d at 456 (quoting Chaplinsky v. New
Hampshire, 315 U.S. 568, 571 (1942)). "Certain classes of speech, including defamatory and
libelous speech, are entitled to no Constitutional protection." Id. "`It has been well observed
that such utterances are no essential part of any exposition of ideas, and are of such slight
social value as a step to truth that any benefit that may be derived from them is clearly
outweighed by the social interest in order and morality.'" Id. (quoting Chaplinsky, 315 U.S.
at 572). It follows that "[t]he right to speak anonymously . . . is not absolute. For example,
an anonymous speaker, like a known one, has no First Amendment right to engage in . . .
libel . . . . " Mobilisa, 170 P.3d at 717 (citing Beauharnais v. Illinois, 343 U.S. 250, 266
(1952)); accord, Doe I v. Individuals, 561 F. Supp. 2d 249, 254 (D. Conn. 2008) ("[T]he right
to speak anonymously, on the internet or otherwise, is not absolute and does not protect
speech that otherwise would be unprotected.").
B. Balancing Competing Interests
When faced with the clash of such valued interests, we must strike a balance "between
the well-established First Amendment right to speak anonymously, and the right of the
plaintiff to protect its proprietary interests and reputation through the assertion of
recognizable claims based on the actionable conduct of the anonymous, fictitiously-named
18
defendant[]." Dendrite International, Inc. v. Doe No. 3, 775 A.2d 756, 760 (N.J. Super. Ct.
App. Div. 2001); accord, Cahill, 884 A.2d at 456 ("[W]e must adopt a standard that
appropriately balances one person's right to speak anonymously against another person's
right to protect his reputation"). To meet these goals, we conclude, it is not enough that the7
plaintiff has successfully pleaded a claim of defamation. Before enforcing a subpoena for
identifying information, a court must conduct a preliminary screening to ensure that there is
a viable claim that justifies overriding an asserted right to anonymity.
The tension between a speaker's desire for anonymity and the right of the plaintiff to
protect his reputation or property arises in a variety of contexts, including defamation,
copyright infringement, harassment, and malicious gossip. See, e.g., Doe I v. Individuals, 561
F. Supp. 2d at 251 (plaintiffs alleged they were targets of defamatory, threatening, and
harassing comments); Highfields Capital Management, L.P. v. Doe, 385 F. Supp. 2d 969, 971
(N.D. Cal. 2005) (plaintiff alleged defamation, commercial disparagement, and trademark
claims); Mobilisa, 170 P.3d at 715-16 (plaintiff alleged violations of federal law regarding
electronic communications, as well as trespass to chattels). Because the interests at stake will
See also In re Subpoena Duces Tecum to America Online, Inc., No. 40570, 20007
WL 1210372 at *6, 52 Va. Cir. 26 (2000) ("Those who suffer damages as a result of tortious
or other actionable communications on the Internet should be able to seek appropriate redress
by preventing the wrongdoers from hiding behind an illusory shield of purported First
Amendment rights."), rev'd on other grounds, America Online, Inc. v. Anonymous Publicly
Traded Co., 542 S.E.2d 377 (Va. 2001).
19
vary, a trial court may need to modify the test we adopt depending on the type of injury
alleged. In other words, one size does not necessarily fit all. Here we are faced with a claim
of defamation, and we therefore formulate a general framework to fairly accommodate the
reputational interests of the plaintiff and the First Amendment rights of the anonymous
defendant.8
C. The Tests Used by Other Jurisdictions
Courts have applied a variety of tests to grapple with the question of when it is
appropriate to force a third party to reveal the identity of a defendant charged with
defamation. One of the standards most easily satisfied requires only that the court be
convinced that the party seeking the subpoena "has a legitimate, good faith basis to contend
that it may be the victim of [actionable] conduct . . . ." In re Subpoena Duces Tecum to
America Online, Inc., 2000 WL 1210372 at *8, 52 Va. Cir. 26 (2000), rev'd on other grounds,
America Online, Inc. v. Anonymous Publicly Traded Co., 542 S.E.2d 377 (Va. 2001). In our
Solers has also alleged tortious interference with prospective advantageous business8
opportunities. We do not address that claim separately in this context because we view the
alleged injury as a consequence of the defamation. Indeed, that count of the amended
complaint specifically alleges that "[s]uch damage was proximately caused by the false and
defamatory statements published by Defendant." We are satisfied that Solers has sufficiently
alleged the elements of this tort to survive a motion to dismiss under Civil Rule 12 (b)(6).
Furthermore, contrary to SIIA's argument, Solers has not abandoned this claim.
20
view, the "good faith test" insufficiently protects a defendant's anonymity: "Plaintiffs can
often initially plead sufficient facts to meet the good faith test . . . even if the defamation claim
is not very strong, or worse, if they do not intend to pursue the defamation action to a final
decision." Cahill, 884 A.2d at 457. The good faith test and the similarly lax motion to
dismiss test may needlessly strip defendants of anonymity in situations where there is no
substantial evidence of wrongdoing, effectively giving little or no First Amendment protection
to that anonymity.9
Toward the other end of the spectrum is the test articulated by the New Jersey Superior
Court in Dendrite International, Inc. v. Doe No. 3, 775 A.2d 756, 760-61 (N.J. Super. Ct.
App. Div. 2001), which requires plaintiffs to "produce sufficient evidence supporting each
element of its cause of action, on a prima facie basis," after which the court would "balance
the defendant's First Amendment right of anonymous free speech against the strength of the
prima facie case presented and the necessity for the disclosure . . . to allow the plaintiff to
properly proceed." The Maryland Court of Appeals recently adopted this test in Independent
Newspapers, Inc. v. Brodie, 966 A.2d 432 (Md. 2009). There, a prominent businessman sued
Although not expressly proposing a test, Solers appears to advocate a "motion to9
dismiss" standard, whereby the plaintiff's subpoena is enforced if its complaint adequately
states a claim upon which relief can be granted. Such a standard may provide meaningful
protection in a jurisdiction that has stricter pleading requirements than we do. See Lassa v.
Rongstad, 718 N.W.2d 673, 687 (Wis. 2006) (adopting a motion to dismiss standard because
Wisconsin procedural rules require the plaintiff to plead the defamatory words with
particularity, and establish that the words are capable of defamatory meaning).
21
a local newspaper company that maintained an internet forum where the public was allowed
to comment on community events. Several individuals, identified only by their internet
pseudonyms, used this forum to make disparaging comments regarding Brodie's business.
Id. at 435, 442-44. Brodie sued the newspaper and the anonymous participants, alleging
defamation and conspiracy to defame. Id. at 442. Although the trial court dismissed the
newspaper company from the suit, it granted a motion to compel the company to comply with
Brodie's subpoena seeking the identities of the anonymous critics. Id. at 445.
The Maryland Court of Appeals reversed because Brodie had failed to sue, within the
time allowed by the statute of limitations, those persons who had actually posted the allegedly
defamatory comments. Id. at 449. Although dismissing on procedural grounds, the court
adopted the Dendrite test for use in future internet cases:
[W]hen a trial court is confronted with a defamation action in
which anonymous speakers or pseudonyms are involved, it
should, (1) require the plaintiff to undertake efforts to notify the
anonymous posters that they are the subject of a subpoena or
application for an order of disclosure, including posting a
message of notification of the identity discovery request on the
message board; (2) withhold action to afford the anonymous
posters a reasonable opportunity to file and serve opposition to
the application; (3) require the plaintiff to identify and set forth
the exact statements purportedly made by each anonymous
poster, alleged to constitute actionable speech; (4) determine
whether the complaint has set forth a prima facie defamation per
se or per quod action . . .; and (5), if all else is satisfied, balance
22
the anonymous poster's First Amendment right of free speech
against the strength of the prima facie case of defamation
presented by the plaintiff and the necessity for disclosure of the
anonymous defendant's identity, prior to ordering disclosure.
Id. at 457 (emphasis in original). Three judges of the Maryland Court of Appeals concurred
with the result, but believed that the final balancing test of the Dendrite standard is
"unnecessary and needlessly complicated." Id. at 458 (Adkins, J., concurring) (citing Cahill,
884 A.2d at 461). Moreover, they observed, the majority had not explained "how the interests
that trial courts are to balance differ from the interests that are already balanced in developing
the substantive law of defamation." Id. at 459 (Adkins, J., concurring). The concurring
opinion in Brodie also articulated an additional reason why we decline to adopt the standard
set forth in the majority opinion: "the majority is not clear whether or not a plaintiff must
make [the] prima facie showing by an affidavit, deposition, or other statement under oath, or
whether mere allegations of fact are sufficient." Id. at 457 (Adkins, J., concurring) (footnote
omitted).
The Supreme Court of Delaware adopted a modified version of the Dendrite test in
Cahill, 884 A.2d 451, holding "that before a defamation plaintiff can obtain the identity of an
anonymous defendant through the compulsory discovery process he must support his
defamation claim with facts sufficient to defeat a summary judgment motion." Id. at 460. "In
23
other words," and this is an important qualification, "the defamation plaintiff, as the party
bearing the burden of proof at trial, must introduce evidence creating a genuine issue of
material fact for all elements of a defamation claim within the plaintiff's control." Id. at 463
(emphasis in original). In addition, "to the extent reasonably practicable under the
circumstances, the plaintiff must undertake efforts to notify the anonymous poster that he is
the subject of a subpoena or application for order of disclosure [and] withhold action to afford
the anonymous defendant a reasonable opportunity to file and serve opposition to the
discovery request." Id. at 460-61. The important feature of Dendrite and Cahill is to
emphasize that the plaintiff must do more than simply plead his case.
D. A Test for the District of Columbia
Procedural labels such as prima facie or "summary judgment" may prove misleading,
but the test we now adopt closely resembles the "summary judgment" standard articulated in
Cahill. When presented with a motion to quash (or to enforce) a subpoena which seeks the10
We are aware of the criticism of Cahill voiced in McMann v. Doe, 460 F. Supp. 2d10
259, 267-68 (D. Mass. 2006). We think, however, that these concerns are addressed by our
suggestion below that the trial court may in difficult cases decide to proceed in stages and
to allow limited discovery before quashing or enforcing the subpoena. Moreover, the "within
the plaintiff's control" limitation embodied in the Cahill test provides valuable flexibility.
The court in McMann agreed that "it is reasonable to apply some sort of a screen to the
plaintiff's claim before authorizing the subpoena." Id. at 268. It did not need to develop a
(continued...)
24
identity of an anonymous defendant, the court should: (1) ensure that the plaintiff has
adequately pleaded the elements of the defamation claim, (2) require reasonable efforts to
notify the anonymous defendant that the complaint has been filed and the subpoena has been
served, (3) delay further action for a reasonable time to allow the defendant an opportunity
to file a motion to quash, (4) require the plaintiff to proffer evidence creating a genuine issue
of material fact on each element of the claim that is within its control, and (5) determine that
the information sought is important to enable the plaintiff to proceed with his lawsuit. We do
not require a separate balancing test at the end of the analysis, nor do we require a showing
that the plaintiff has exhausted alternative sources for learning the information. This brief
summary of our test must be read in context of the discussion that follows.
Before enforcing a subpoena seeking the identity of an anonymous user of the internet,
the court must first determine whether the plaintiff has adequately pleaded each element of
his claim. If the complaint cannot survive scrutiny for failure to state a claim, there is no
justification for going further.
This is only the first step, however. If the complaint is adequate, the court then must
(...continued)10
test of its own because it concluded that plaintiff had failed to state a claim on which relief
could be granted. Id.
25
ensure that reasonable efforts are made to notify the defendant that the subpoena has been
served. Many courts have required the plaintiff to provide this notice, usually by posting it
in the same manner in which the allegedly defamatory statement was published. See, e.g.,
Cahill, 884 A.2d at 461 (requiring a plaintiff who alleges defamation has occurred over the
internet to post on the message board where the offending comment was located a notice
informing the anonymous defendant that the subpoena has been served); Dendrite, 775 A.2d
at 760 ("[N]otification efforts should include posting a message of notification of the identity
discovery request to the anonymous user on the ISP's pertinent message board.").
Nevertheless, it often will be simpler and more effective to require the recipient of the
subpoena (who likely knows the identity of the anonymous defendant, or at least knows how
to contact him) to provide such notice. See, e.g., Doe I v. Individuals, 561 F. Supp. 2d at 252
("AT & T sent a letter to the person whose internet account corresponded with the IP address
at issue."); Mobilisa, 170 P.3d at 721 ("the superior court did not err by . . . plac[ing] the
burden on [the e-mail service provider] to notify Doe of the pending proceedings"); Krinsky,
72 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 235 (Yahoo! notified the defendant that it would comply with the subpoena
in 15 days unless he filed a motion to quash); Immunomedics, Inc. v. Doe, 775 A.2d 773, 775
(N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2001) (Yahoo! contacted defendant Jean Doe). We leave it to the
trial court to determine in the circumstances of each case who should notify the anonymous
defendant of the efforts to discover his identity. In this case, we are informed, SIIA notified
Doe that the subpoena had been served.
26
Once suitable efforts have been made to notify the defendant, the court should delay
action to allow him a reasonable opportunity to file a motion to quash the subpoena. "A court
should not consider impacting a speaker's First Amendment rights without affording the
speaker an opportunity to respond to the discovery request." Mobilisa, 170 P.3d at 719. In
several cases, the anonymous defendant has actually appeared in the litigation through
counsel. See, e.g., Doe I v. Individuals, 561 F. Supp. 2d at 250-51 (Doe 21 moved to quash
plaintiffs' subpoena); Mobilisa, 170 P.3d at 716 (Doe appeared through e-mail service
provider's counsel to contest the trial court's order allowing the plaintiff to conduct
discovery); Krinsky, 72 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 234 (Doe 6 moved to quash the subpoena); In re Does
1-10, 242 S.W.3d 805, 810 (Tex. App. 2007) (Doe 1 sought mandamus relief from order
requiring the internet service provider to disclose his identity).
The plaintiff next is required to proffer evidence to show that it has a viable claim of
defamation. Whether this evidence is presented in the form of affidavits, deposition
transcripts, or courtroom testimony under oath, it must be sufficient to create a genuine issue
of material fact with respect to all the elements of the defamation claim within the plaintiff's
control, see Cahill, 884 A.2d at 463 ­ "in other words, all elements not dependent upon
knowing the identity of the anonymous speaker." Mobilisa, 170 P.3d at 720. (Because of
unpredictable variations among cases, we leave the determination of which elements are
within a particular plaintiff's control to the informed discretion of the trial judge.) "Requiring
27
the requesting party to satisfy this step furthers the goal of compelling identification of
anonymous internet speakers only as a means to redress . . . misuses of speech rather than as
a means to retaliate against or chill legitimate uses of speech." Mobilisa, 170 P.3d at 720.
An important part of this process is to set forth as precisely as possible the statements
by the anonymous defendant that are alleged to be defamatory. In some cases, the court has
refused to compel disclosure of the defendant's identity because the statements were not
actionable. See, e.g., Highfields Capital Management, 385 F. Supp. 2d at 979 ("In context,
[the statements] are clearly sardonic opinion or parody, not to be taken seriously by anyone.");
Krinsky, 72 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 250 ("the statements of which plaintiff complains are not
actionable"); Dendrite, 775 A.2d at 772 ("Dendrite failed to establish a sufficient nexus
between John Doe No. 3's statements and Dendrite's allegations of harm"); Greenbaum v.
Google, Inc., 845 N.Y.S.2d 695, 700 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2007) (statements were "not reasonably
susceptible of a defamatory connotation").
The court should also ensure that the information sought is important to the litigation.
This portion of the test is easily satisfied when the anonymous speaker is the defendant and
the litigation cannot proceed without serving him with process. Doe I v. Individuals, 561 F.
Supp. 2d at 255 ("[C]learly the defendant's identity is central to Doe II's pursuit of her claims
against him."). We do not, in these circumstances, require a showing that the plaintiff has
28
exhausted alternative sources for learning the information. When the other elements of the
test have been satisfied, we see little point in requiring the plaintiff to travel more circuitous
trails in search of Doe's identity.11
Finally, we agree with the concurring judges in Brodie that a separate balancing test
at the end of the analysis is not necessary. See Cahill, 884 A.2d at 461 (no balancing test is
required because "[t]he summary judgment test is itself the balance"). "When there is a
factual and legal basis for believing libel may have occurred, the writer's message will not be
protected by the First Amendment. Accordingly, a further balancing of interests should not
be necessary to overcome the defendant's constitutional right to speak anonymously."
Krinsky, 72 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 245-46 (citations omitted).12
We are not dealing here with a subpoena seeking to compel a non-party journalist11
to reveal confidential sources. Additional First Amendment interests are involved in such
cases, and it may be appropriate there to require the exhaustion of alternative sources. See
generally Hatfill v. Gonzales, 505 F. Supp. 2d 33 (D.D.C. 2007).
Asserting that Doe's speech consisted of "defamatory statements to a private12
organization about a private person," Solers insists that "the First Amendment does not
protect this kind of purely private defamation." We have already explained that the First
Amendment does not protect defamatory speech, and it may turn out that Solers is correct.
But we are at the threshold of litigation in this case, and Solers has yet to prove any element
of defamation.
Solers relies on Ayala v. Washington, 679 A.2d 1057 (D.C. 1996), for the proposition
that Doe cannot remain anonymous because he is not entitled to First Amendment protection
at all. This argument reads Ayala much too broadly. Ayala was concerned with the burden
of proof applicable to a claim of defamation. 679 A.2d at 1063-64. The plaintiff there had
(continued...)
29
SIIA protests that enforcement of subpoenas like this one will have a chilling effect
on reporting of software piracy: "Because few would-be Internet communicators seeking to
report potential software piracy would risk the financial and other burdens of defending a
lawsuit, that speech likely would disappear." This forecast includes hyperbole, no doubt, but
the test we have adopted takes this concern into account. As the previous discussion should
make clear, we do not take lightly a person's decision to speak anonymously. But that is not
an absolute right, and SIIA's website alerted John Doe that SIIA might be required to disclose
his identity. We do not question the importance of combating software piracy, but that is13 14
(...continued)12
proven malice, falsity, and publication by a preponderance of the evidence, and the court
confronted the issue of whether he had to meet the stricter standard of clear and convincing
evidence to satisfy First Amendment concerns. Id. Holding that Ayala was not a public
figure, and that the allegations the defendant made to his employer were of private concern,
we concluded that it was not necessary to apply the higher standard of proof. Id. at 1068-69.
Although we spoke broadly in Ayala of "the universe of First Amendment defamation
law" and "whether a particular speech is the kind that merits constitutional protection," 679
A.2d at 1062-63, we did not deal at all with the right to speak anonymously. Thus, the
holding of Ayala does not govern here. Moreover, courts have applied the standard for
unmasking anonymous defendants in cases brought by non-public figures. See, e.g., Doe I
v. Individuals, 561 F. Supp. 2d at 256-57 (acknowledging the protections granted to an
anonymous defendant, but finding that the non-public figure plaintiff had made a prima facie
showing of defamation and was therefore entitled to learn the defendant's identity); Krinsky,
72 Cal. Rptr. 3d at 234 (protecting the anonymity of an internet commentator accused of
defaming a non-public figure plaintiff).
The description of SIIA's Corporate Anti-Piracy Reward Program on the website13
refers to SIIA's "long standing policy of keeping the identity of our sources anonymous
(continued...)
30
only one of the interests we must balance.15
E. Applying the Test to Solers' Subpoena
(...continued)13
(unless required by law to disclose the identity)."
Software piracy is a serious global problem. See Fifth Annual BSA and IDC Global14
Software Piracy Study 2007, available at http://global.bsa.org/idcglobalstudy2007 (reporting
that losses from piracy in 2007 amount to $48 billion dollars). Piracy has a particularly
devastating effect on the economy of the United States, which holds a large share of the
software market. See The Economic Benefits of Reducing PC Software Piracy, available at
http://www.bsa.org/idcstudy (January 2008) (predicting that "if America's PC software
piracy rate were to be lowered 10 percentage points over the next four years," it would create
"an additional 32,031 jobs, $41 billion in local industry revenues and $6.7 billion in
additional tax revenues for federal, regional, and local governments.").
Amicus curiae asserts that efforts to learn the identity of informants such as Doe15
infringe upon "the freedom of speech and the freedom of association of John Doe, SIIA, and
its members." It is not clear that we should address this "freedom of association" argument
at all, because it has not been briefed by SIIA on appeal and was barely mentioned in the trial
court. Nevertheless, we consider and reject this claim because the record and the case law
do not support it. "To establish such a violation, the target of a subpoena must make a prima
facie showing of a first amendment infringement ­ typically, that enforcement of the
disclosure requirement will result in harassment of current members, a decline in new
members, or other chilling of associational rights." United States v. Comley, 890 F.2d 539,
544 (1st Cir. 1989). There has been no such showing here. See Lassa v. Rongstad, 718
N.W.2d 673, 691 (Wis. 2006) (affidavit of association's leader did not "establish[] a
reasonable probability of such chilling effects"; it contained at most a "general statement of
subjective fear of reprisal without any basis in objective, particularized facts[,]" which is
"precisely what is ordinarily deemed insufficient[.]"); United States v. Judicial Watch, Inc.,
362 U.S. App. D.C. 1, 10, 371 F.3d 824, 833 (2004) ("Judicial Watch has not produced
sufficient evidence to support its allegation that enforcement of the summons will chill its
members' speech."); United States v. Duke Energy Corp., 232 F.R.D. 1, 3 (D.D.C. 2005)
(rejecting objections that compliance with subpoena would chill First Amendment
associational rights).
31
There is an interesting factual difference between this case and many of those to which
we have referred. Here, John Doe did not post his accusations on an internet bulletin board
for thousands or perhaps millions of persons to see. Cf. Doe I v. Individuals, 561 F. Supp.
2d at 251 (The website where the defendants posted their messages "draws between 800,000
and one million visitors per month. Anyone who can access the internet can access [the
website] and view the messages posted on its discussion boards."); Krinsky, 72 Cal. Rptr. 3d
at 237 ("The poster's message not only is transmitted instantly to other subscribers to the
message board, but potentially is passed on to an expanding network of recipients, as readers
may copy, forward, or print those messages to distribute to others."). Instead, he apparently
followed the instructions on SIIA's website and used the internet to report his allegations
directly and more privately. For all that we know at this point, the transmission of his
accusations was not substantively different from dropping a letter into the mail, making a
phone call, or slipping a note under the door.
A similar point was addressed in Cahill, where the court drew "no distinction between
communications made on the internet and those made through other traditional forms of media
in determining the standard to be applied." 884 A.2d at 465. The court decided that,
"whenever a defamation plaintiff seeks to unmask an anonymous defendant, [it would] apply
the summary judgment standard regardless of the chosen medium of publication." Id. In this
32
case, we need not, and do not, decide whether the test we have adopted should apply to all
other forms of communication. Nevertheless, we will apply it to various uses of the internet,
recognizing that the factual differences we have highlighted surely are relevant to assessing
the proof of defamation, including the elements of publication and harm.
Solers argues that it is unfair to require production of evidence at this early stage of the
proceedings, pointing out that, in more typical litigation, substantial discovery would occur
before a party would need to file or defend against a motion for summary judgment. It is
important to emphasize in response that we do not expect Solers to demonstrate that it is
entitled to judgment in its favor. Rather, Solers merely must show that it has a viable claim
of defamation ­ that there is a genuine issue of material fact on each element of the claim that
does not depend on knowing the defendant's identity. Moreover, this is a test for deciding
whether to enforce or quash the subpoena. If the court decides to quash, it will have to
determine after a separate inquiry whether to prolong the litigation or to dismiss the complaint
for failure to prosecute.
Recognizing Solers' dilemma, the trial court may choose to allow some discovery
before deciding whether to order disclosures that will reveal the identity of Doe. Here, for
example, Solers does not know the exact statements made by John Doe (although one may
fairly infer their nature from the accusations made in the demand letter sent by SIIA's
33
attorney). It might be useful as a preliminary step to order SIIA to disclose those statements,
if that can be done without revealing Doe's identity. Or, perhaps, the court could allow
limited discovery to determine whether the court may exercise personal jurisdiction over
Doe. The court need not decide at the very outset of the litigation whether to compel SIIA16
to disclose the identity of John Doe.
It should be obvious that a key issue on remand will be determining what types of
evidence the court reasonably may expect Solers to proffer without knowing the identity of
John Doe. Applying this aspect of the test will require sensitivity to the unique circumstances
of each case. It may, for example, be difficult for Solers to discern the defendant's motive and
thus his state of mind ­ without knowing his identity. See Cahill, 884 A.2d at 464
(holding that the public figure plaintiff need not produce evidence showing that the defendant
acted with actual malice because, "[w]ithout discovery of the defendant's identity, satisfying
this element may be difficult, if not impossible."); Mobilisa, 170 P.3d at 723 n.12 (stating that
knowledge of Doe's intent depends on his identity).
Nevertheless, in this context, a plaintiff must do more than simply plead his case.
See Eric T. v. National Medical Enterprises, Inc., 700 A.2d 749, 759 n.21 (D.C.16
1997) ("A plaintiff faced with a motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction is entitled
to reasonable discovery, lest the defendant defeat the jurisdiction of the trial court by
withholding information on its contacts with the forum.") (internal citation and quotation
marks omitted).
34
Solers acknowledges that it did not present evidence to support its allegations of damage, but
claims it did not know it was expected to do so at this stage of the proceedings. In other
words, Solers believed that the trial court was applying a "motion to dismiss" standard and
would focus only on the allegations in its complaint. See In re Curseen, 890 A.2d at 193
("The filing of a motion pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) does not call upon the plaintiff to offer his
proof."). We think this is a fair point. At the time the parties were litigating this issue in the
trial court, no test had yet been established in this jurisdiction for enforcing a subpoena of this
nature. It would be unfair to assess Solers' proffer (or lack thereof) under the standard we
have announced today. We therefore vacate the judgment of the Superior Court and remand
this case to give Solers an opportunity to present evidence supporting its claim of
defamation.17
So ordered.
We decline SIIA's suggestion that we affirm on alternative grounds not addressed17
by the trial court. This record discloses no reason to think that all documents responsive to
the subpoena are protected by the work product doctrine. See generally In re Artis, 883 A.2d
85, 100 n.17 (D.C. 2005) ("The work product doctrine . . . creates a `qualified privilege' for
materials prepared by an attorney (or attorney's agent) in anticipation of trial.") (internal
citations and quotation marks omitted). If the trial court is inclined upon remand to enforce
the subpoena in whole or in part, this qualified privilege may be invoked on a document-bydocument
basis. Likewise, it is premature to conclude that the Superior Court is unable to
exercise personal jurisdiction over John Doe. The allegations of the Amended Complaint
suggest that Doe's activities brought him within reach of the District of Columbia's long-arm
statute. See D.C. Code § 13-423 (a)(3) (2001).