Saenz V. Morris

Plaintiff appeals an order dismissing his libel claim for failure to state a claim and other procedural defects. His claim arose out of certain articles published in the Santa Fe Reporter (Reporter) and was filed against Roger Morris, who wrote the articles, Richard McCord, editor of the Reporter, and The Santa Fe Reporter, Inc. (defendants). In response to plaintiff's complaint, defendants moved for a more definite statement. Plaintiff responded to the motion by submitting copies of the articles in question. Nothing else appears in the record until new counsel entered an appearance for plaintiff some eighteen months after the above response. This was followed two months later by another entry of appearance for plaintiff by a Texas firm, and three months after that by substitution of counsel for defendants.