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== The deceptive-trade-practices claim is the libel claim relabeled ==
== The deceptive-trade-practices claim is the libel claim relabeled ==


The second count, under the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act, fails for three independent reasons.
The second count, under the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act, fails for three independent reasons.First, the statute does not reach a reviewer. NRS 598.0915 defines a "deceptive trade practice" only when committed ''"in the course of his or her business or occupation,"'' and the disparagement subsection targets a person who ''"[d]isparages the goods, services or business of another person by false or misleading representation of fact"'' in that course of business, meaning a competing seller, not a third-party critic.<ref name="nrs598">Nev. Rev. Stat. § 598.0915. {{Cite web |url=https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-598.html |title=NRS Chapter 598 (Deceptive Trade Practices) |publisher=Nevada Legislature |access-date=2026-06-06}}</ref> Prowse is not in the business of selling batteries. A reviewer who evaluates a product he does not sell is not engaged in commercial advertising or promotion at all.<ref name="tobinick">''Tobinick v. Novella'', 848 F.3d 935, 950 (11th Cir. 2017) (a critic's commentary is not "commercial advertising or promotion" where the defendant is not a competitor proposing a transaction). [https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca11/15-14889/15-14889-2017-02-15.html Opinion via Justia].</ref>
 
Second, a plaintiff cannot escape the First Amendment by relabeling a libel claim. The constitutional limits that protect speech ''"apply to all claims whose gravamen is the alleged injurious falsehood of a statement,"'' and a plaintiff ''"may not use related causes of action to avoid the constitutional requisites of a defamation claim."''<ref name="blatty">''Blatty v. New York Times Co.'', 42 Cal. 3d 1033, 1042-45, 728 P.2d 1177 (1986). [https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/42/1033.html Opinion via Justia].</ref><ref name="farah">''Farah v. Esquire Magazine'', 736 F.3d 528, 540 (D.C. Cir. 2013) (quoting ''Moldea v. New York Times Co.''). [https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/cadc/12-7055/12-7055-2013-11-26.html Opinion via Justia].</ref> The Ninth Circuit applied that rule to a product-review case, holding that the disparagement and tortious-interference counts ''"are subject to the same first amendment requirements that govern actions for defamation,"'' and the Tenth Circuit reached the same result for business-tort claims built on protected opinion.<ref name="unelko" /><ref name="jeffco">''Jefferson County School District No. R-1 v. Moody's Investor's Services, Inc.'', 175 F.3d 848, 857, 860-61 (10th Cir. 1999). [https://www.courtlistener.com/c/F.3d/175/848/ Opinion via CourtListener].</ref> The deceptive-practices count is the trade-libel count by another name, and it inherits the same falsity burden, the same opinion protection, and the same fate.
 
Third, the anti-SLAPP statute reaches it anyway, because the Nevada Supreme Court looks at the protected statements underlying a claim rather than the claim's label.<ref name="panik" />
 
== The interference claim rises and falls with the libel claim ==
 
The third count, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, requires Dragonfly to prove a prospective relationship, the defendant's knowledge of it, intent to harm by preventing it, the absence of privilege or justification, and resulting harm.<ref name="amerco">''In re Amerco Derivative Litigation'', 127 Nev. 196, 226-27, 252 P.3d 681 (2011). [https://www.courtlistener.com/c/Nev./127/196/ Opinion via CourtListener].</ref><ref name="consolgen">''Consolidated Generator-Nevada, Inc. v. Cummins Engine Co.'', 114 Nev. 1304, 1311-12, 971 P.2d 1251 (1998). [https://www.courtlistener.com/c/P.2d/971/1251/ Opinion via CourtListener].</ref><ref name="wichinsky">''Wichinsky v. Mosa'', 109 Nev. 84, 87-88, 847 P.2d 727 (1993). [https://www.courtlistener.com/c/Nev./109/84/ Opinion via CourtListener].</ref>