Hunter Biden Prevails in High-Stakes $18,000 Legal Battle

Hunter Biden secures an $18,000 legal victory against a former Trump aide in the ongoing laptop scandal saga.

At a Glance

Hunter Biden wins $18,000 in legal fees from ex-Trump aide Garrett Ziegler
Lawsuit alleges illegal access and distribution of Biden’s laptop contents
Judge calls Ziegler’s dismissal motion “totally devoid of merit”
Case is part of broader legal battles surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop
Biden faces separate tax evasion and gun possession charges

Biden’s Legal Victory in Laptop Scandal

Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, has won $18,000 in legal fees in a lawsuit against Garrett Ziegler, a former Trump White House aide. The case, centered on the controversial laptop scandal that emerged during the 2020 presidential election, marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battles surrounding Hunter Biden’s personal data.

Los Angeles federal Judge Hernan Vera ordered Ziegler to pay $17,929 to Hunter Biden for legal costs. The judge described Ziegler’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit as “totally devoid of merit.” This ruling comes as part of a larger lawsuit in which Biden accuses Ziegler and others of breaching computer fraud and data laws.

"Hunter Biden won $18,000 in legal fees in his lawsuit against a former Trump White House aide for his alleged role in the first son’s infamous laptop scandal."https://t.co/jPfCm2dRlJ

— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) September 11, 2024

Allegations Against Ziegler

The lawsuit alleges that Ziegler, who worked for President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro from February 2019 to January 2021, illegally accessed and circulated contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop on his nonprofit website Marco Polo. Ziegler allegedly used the pseudonym “Marco Polo” to publish a report on Biden’s laptop in October 2022, which included private videos and photos.

“This is just the beginning of Mr. Ziegler being held accountable for what he has done. As we have demonstrated, from the time he illegally accessed Mr. Biden’s personal data to his court papers trying to defend his conduct, Mr. Ziegler has violated the law.” – Source

The lawsuit claims that Ziegler’s actions involved “tens of thousands of emails, thousands of photos, and dozens of videos and recordings” from Biden’s personal data. Hunter Biden is seeking a jury trial for damages and an injunction to prevent Ziegler from holding his private files.

Legal Implications and Future Proceedings

Judge Vera’s ruling emphasized that anti-SLAPP laws, which Ziegler attempted to use in his defense, do not apply in federal court. The judge found the hours billed by Biden’s counsel reasonable and upheld the fee award, despite Ziegler’s objections.

“Frivolous in the context of an anti-SLAPP motion means ‘totally and completely without merit’ such that ‘any reasonable attorney would agree such a motion is totally devoid of merit,'” he wrote, citing past case law. – Source

The lawsuit is still pending with a hearing date set for November 12. This case is part of a broader legal landscape involving Hunter Biden, who is also engaged in litigation with John Paul Mac Isaac, the former Delaware computer repair shop owner, over the laptop data leak.

Hunter Biden’s Other Legal Challenges

While this ruling represents a victory for Hunter Biden in the laptop scandal, he faces other significant legal challenges. He recently pleaded guilty to charges in a $1.4 million tax evasion case and faces up to 17 years in prison. Additionally, he faces another potential 25 years imprisonment for a separate conviction of illegally owning a gun while addicted to drugs.

These legal battles continue to unfold against the backdrop of ongoing federal investigations into Hunter Biden’s affairs, which began in 2018. As the legal proceedings progress, they remain a focal point of political and media attention, with potential implications for both Hunter Biden and the broader political landscape.