Notre Dame Pro-Abortion-Rights Professor Ordered to Pay $200K in Fees in Failed Libel Lawsuit Against Student Newspaper
A Notre Dame professor has been ordered to pay $200,000 in attorney fees after losing a libel lawsuit against a student newspaper. The court found that the newspaper's articles about the professor's views on abortion were either true or reasonable interpretations of the facts. The ruling highlights the protections afforded to speech on matters of public concern under Indiana libel law.
- ▪Dr. Tamara Kay, a professor at Notre Dame, sued The Irish Rover for defamation over articles discussing her pro-abortion rights views.
- ▪The court ruled that the statements made by the newspaper were either true or reasonable interpretations of the facts.
- ▪The judge noted that Dr. Kay did not present live evidence to challenge the attorney fees during the hearing.
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| Original publisher | Reason Magazine |
| Canonical URL | https://reason.com/volokh/2026/05/18/notre-dame-pro-abortion-rights-professor-ordered-to-pay-200k-in-fees-in-failed-libel-lawsuit-against-student-newspaper/ |
| Publication time | Mon, 18 May 2026 12:31:13 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-18T12:39:56.455Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-18T12:39:56.455Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Free Speech Notre Dame Pro-Abortion-Rights Professor Ordered to Pay $200K in Fees in Failed Libel Lawsuit Against Student Newspaper Eugene Volokh | 5.18.2026 8:31 AM So Special Judge Steven David (Ind. Super. Ct. St. Joseph County) ruled Friday. There had been a dispute about the reasonableness of the attorney fees, as there often is, but the court largely ruled that defendant's fee request was indeed reasonable (with only modest deductions). It also noted that the plaintiff didn't use the opportunity to present live evidence at the fee hearing, which might have offered more of a chance at successfully challenging the fees: No questions were asked of [defendant's] Lead Counsel. No one asked him to be placed under oath to give additional testimony other than his previous declarations.
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