Defamation Lawsuit Against New Glarus Brewing Co Thrown Out

A Dane County judge on Wednesday threw out a defamation lawsuit filed last year by the president of the New Glarus Brewing Co., who alleged that a law firm representing a group of minority shareholders had lied about her in a press release that described allegations made against her in the shareholders’ lawsuit. Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke said the press release in question, issued by the Middleton law firm of Palmersheim Dettmann after it filed a lawsuit in August against the New Glarus Brewing Co. and its president and CEO, Deb Carey, more or less accurately reflects the allegations made in the lawsuit, including one that Carey said was most egregious, that Carey had “retained over $100 million, with over $40 million in cash.” Elke said the press release about the shareholders’ lawsuit refers to ‘the claims’ and ‘the allegations’ are not statements of fact.