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Practice Areas • Practices • Ohio’s Anti-SLAPP Statute

The Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (UPEPA) statute protects speech and can help defeat defamation and other claims.

Until recently, Ohioans had no state-level law to stop meritless lawsuits aimed at silencing them. That changed on April 9, 2025, when the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (UPEPA) took effect (Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§ 2747.01–2747.06). Ohio became the 35th state to recognize the need for strong protections against SLAPP (short for “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation”) suits.

Under UPEPA, if you’re sued for exercising your free‑speech rights on a matter of public concern, you can file a motion to dismiss within 60 days of being served. The court can extend that deadline for good cause. Once you file, all other proceedings—including discovery—are paused until the court decides the motion (Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2747.03).

If the judge finds the case arises from protected speech or conduct, the court must dismiss the claim and order the other side to pay your attorney’s fees (Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2747.05). This shifts the cost burden back where it belongs—on the person misusing the courts.

Because deadlines are tight and these motions require careful legal framing, you should contact us right away if you believe you’re facing a SLAPP suit in Ohio.

Chandra Law had one of the first wins in Ohio and the first known win in Cuyahoga County, Ohio on December 10, 2025 under the UPEPA statute. We defeated a defamation suit brought by a real-estate developer against an Orange Village resident who criticized him in an Orange Village Council meeting and in the media, and recovered attorney fees and costs for our client.

Contact Us

If you’re facing a SLAPP suit, you may contact The Chandra Law Firm LLC today. We’re ready to help you fight for your rights. Please understand that as a small firm, we are only able to handle on contingency fees cases in which the damages are relatively serious. Please submit with your contact form details about how you have been damaged economically, emotionally, or both, and information about what proof you would have to prove your claims and damages.

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