Longtime Rahway residents Alan R. Levy and Lisa S. Vandever are appealing a lower court decision allowing a counterclaim to proceed against them despite New Jersey’s Anti-SLAPP law — the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (UPEPA).

The couple, politically active community members and participants in the 20,000-member Facebook group Rahway Community Voice, allege they were permanently banned for criticizing local elected officials ahead of the 2024 election.

After filing suit under New Jersey constitutional protections and the legal doctrine established in Pruneyard Shopping Ctr. v. Robins, the case escalated into a countersuit accusing them of “Malicious Abuse of Process.”

They now argue the counterclaim itself violates UPEPA and constitutes retaliation for protected political speech and petitioning activity.

The appeal raises a fundamental question:

👉 Will New Jersey’s Anti-SLAPP law protect citizens who criticize political power — or can lawsuits still be used to silence dissent?

📌 Full legal background:
Randazza Legal Group case page:

Levy v. Rahway Community Voice and Rainone Coughlin

#FreeSpeech #AntiSLAPP #NewJerseyPolitics #Rahway #FirstAmendment #PoliticalRetaliation

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