Court Grants Summary Judgment for CIPA Defendant After Invoking the Rule of Lenity

Introduction – Defendants enmeshed in the wave of online wiretapping litigation scored a victory on October 17, 2025, when Judge Vince Chhabria invoked the rule of lenity and granted summary judgment for the defendant on California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) claims in Jane Doe v. Eating Recovery Center (ERC) LLC, case no. 3:23-cv-05561-VC (N.D. Cal.), Dkt. 167. While it remains to be seen whether other courts will follow suit, Judge Chhabria’s order will doubtlessly be useful for…
By: Perkins Coie