Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals | 2026

Decisions

STEIDLEY, et al. v. SINGER, et al.
2026 OK CIV APP 1
Case Number: 121773
Decided: 06/25/2025
Mandate Issued: 01/15/2026

¶1 After a six-day trial, a jury returned favorable defamation verdicts for Plaintiffs/Appellees Janice Steidley and David Iski and found they were damaged in the respective amounts of $250,000 and $150,000. Defendant/Appellant John Singer (Singer) appeals from the trial court’s Journal Entry of Judgment reflecting the verdicts, as well as the Order denying his post-trial motions. Singer claims the court erred by denying his motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict because the allegedly defamatory publications in this case were privileged and/or were made without malice, and the jury’s verdict therefore infringes on his First Amendment rights to free speech. Singer also contends he should have received a new trial because the court improperly instructed the jury about Iski’s burden of proof; because there was an erroneous evidentiary ruling; and because the jury’s verdicts were inconsistent. Finally, he alleges there are errors in the Journal Entry of Judgment that require correction. We agree the court erred by awarding Steidley and Iski prejudgment interest; post judgment interest was recalculated based on the erroneous inclusion of prejudgment interest. We otherwise identify no errors of law or abuses of discretion. Accordingly, we affirm in part, reverse in part, and modify in part.