Adair Homes, Vancouver, Wash., is suing Wes Brooks for defamation after the Oregon man posted critical comments about the company on Facebook. The lawsuit demands $550,000 in damages, claiming the custom home builder lost prospective sales because of the negative online reviews. Additionally, Adair Homes wants Brooks to shut down his public Facebook group, “Quality of Adair Homes.”
More than 250 people joined the group since Brooks started it in February. NBC’s Portland news TV affiliate KGW8 interviews both plaintiff and defendant in this dispute that pits free speech against protecting the reputation of a business.