July 25, 2017 (San Diego) — Procopio attorneys Paul Tyrell and Ryan Caplan are fighting in court to save Snopes.com, the well-known fact checking and myth debunking website currently in litigation in an advertising revenue dispute.

Procopio Partner Paul Tyrell said his firm is proud to represent Bardav, Inc., owner of Snopes.com.  “This isn’t just any business dispute. What is at stake here is the survival of a tremendous public resource that has provided critical online fact-checking for more than twenty years. Snopes.com was rooting out fake news long before ‘fake news’ became the big deal it is today.”

Procopio client Bardav, Inc, the owner of Snopes.com, is in litigation against Proper Media, LLC, in a dispute concerning the advertising revenue generated by the Snopes.com website.  Bardav contends Proper Media is improperly withholding hundreds of thousands of dollars in ad revenue that Bardav needs to maintain its operations.  Bardav also seeks to regain control of its website.

The Procopio litigation team previously obtained a temporary restraining order that forced Proper Media to release $100,000 to Bardav.  They are now seeking a preliminary injunction to cause the release of additional ad revenue and give Bardav control of the Snopes.com website.  The hearing is scheduled for August 4, 2017.

In the meantime, Bardav’s management has turned to the public to get the money it needs to continue operating the site, paying its staff and paying its legal fees.  In an amazing show of support, nearly 20,000 people responded to Bardav’s GoFundMe campaign donating more than $500,000 during the first day of the campaign.

“We’ve argued in court that the public will be harmed if Snopes.com is forced to shut down, Tyrell said. “The outpouring of support in response to the GoFundMe campaign makes it undeniable that the survival of Snopes.com is a matter of public interest.”

The case is pending in San Diego Superior Court, Case No.37-2017-00016311-CU-BC-CTL, before the Honorable Judith F. Hayes.

Members of the media can obtain further information from Bardav President and Snopes.com founder David Mikkelson via the Snopes.com website.

About Procopio

Procopio is a full-service business and litigation law firm committed to thoughtful problem solving and improving your bottom line.  With more than 160 attorneys based in San Diego, Silicon Valley, Phoenix, Austin and Los Angeles–we’re passionate about knowing your business and helping you grow and protect it for the long term.  Procopio has the flexible infrastructure to support both small to mid-sized companies and large multinationals at every stage of the business life cycle.  Our global reach across Asia and Latin America further expands our international partnerships and cross border capabilities.  At Procopio, we are focused on what is important to you–providing smart, innovative and practical solutions in a cost-effective manner to help your business thrive.  Learn more at Procopio.com.