Tweet This! Teacher Sued by LeAnn Rimes Files Court Motion To Knock Out Case That Started With Online Bullying
April 9 2013, Published 6:18 p.m. ET
The high school teacher sued by singer LeAnn Rimes filed legal papers on Tuesday in a bid to knock out the case, Breaking Celebrity News is reporting exclusively.
The lawyer for Kim Smiley, mother of six children, filed a demurrer, attempting to get rid of the invasion of privacy case. Rimes alleges that Smiley illegally recorded a phone call the singer placed to her last year.
The call was the result of a bizarre online feud pitting pro- and anti-Rimes’ camps against each other, leading to nasty comments, bullying and worse. Rimes opened her phone call to Smiley by saying: “Hey b**ch this is LeAnn you have 5 minutes to say whatever you want to me!” (Most, if not all of the recording ended up online.)
Smiley’s new legal papers contend Rimes left out crucial information in her complaint. The demurrer could cause Rimes to amend the complaint and basically set the lawsuit back to the beginning.
The judge was sick and not present at Tuesday’s court date Breaking Celebrity News learned, but lawyers for both sides were there. Rimes is represented by Los Angeles powerhouse attorney Larry Stein and Smiley’s lawyer is Steven White. Smiley’s previous lawyer Kenneth Freundlich filed papers to withdraw from the case, as Breaking Celebrity News reported exclusively.
The demurrer in this case is considered by at least one expert to be “a stall tactic.”
A ruling is likely to be delivered in June at the next hearing for the case. If Smiley’s side wins, the proceedings could possibly end or more likely be extended.
Smiley’s side contends the complaint lacks adequate specifics about the phone call, particularly how and where the alleged invasion of privacy occurred.
The case’s bizarre online roots stem from an ongoing feud that has reduced adults to name calling, bullying and worse. Smiley, who is not a fan of Rimes’, took her Twitter account private months before the phone call that led to the incident.