What constitutes a "SLAPP" suit?

Under California law, a "SLAPP" suita "strategic lawsuit against public participation"is one that "seeks to chill or punish a party's exercise of constitutional rights to free speech and to petition the government for redress of grievances." Rusheen v. Cohen, 128 P.3d 713, 717 (Cal. 2006). California's anti-SLAPP statute was thus enacted by the legislature "to provide a procedural remedy to dispose of lawsuits that are brought

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to chill the valid exercise of constitutional rights." Id. The anti-SLAPP statute provides in pertinent part:

Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 425.16(b)(1).