John Doe vs. John Doe: Virginia Court's Decision in Online 'John Doe' Case Hailed by Free-Speech Advocates

[Jim Choate]

On Tue, 20 Mar 2001, Ray Dillinger wrote:

> On Mon, 19 Mar 2001, Bill Stewart wrote:
> 
> >In what was apparently the first Internet defamation case to involve both
> >an anonymous plaintiff and anonymous defendants, the Supreme Court of
> >Virginia refused to grant an unidentified company access to America
> >Online's confidential subscriber information unless the firm agreed to
> >reveal its identity.
> 
> I'm missing something here.  How is it even possible for an anonymous 
> plaintiff to show defamation?  Defamation is identity-linked.

More importantly, you can't bring a criminal complaint anonymously...

                                Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy
and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the
crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously
ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the
accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have
compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the
Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

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         If the law is based on precedence, why is the Constitution
         not the final precedence since it's the primary authority?

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