EDIAS Software Int'l v. BASIS Int'l

Citation: EDIAS Software Int'l v. BASIS Int'l Ltd., 947 F. Supp. 413 (D. Ariz. 1996).

Factual Background
The defendant, a New Mexico company, was accused of posting libelous statements on both its website and in a CompuServe discussion forum.

Trial Court Decision
The court held that the defendant was subject to suit in Arizona for libel, defamation, tortious interference with contract, and Lanham Act violations. As the court stated, the defendant “should not be permitted to take advantage of modern technology through an Internet Web page and forum and simultaneously escape traditional notions of jurisdiction.”

The court found that the allegedly defamatory statements, which concerned the reasons BASIS discontinued its contract with an Arizona software company, “were directed at and caused harm in Arizona.”