The Choptank restaurant was the talk of Fells Point last week after word got out that its owners had threatened to sue everyone who signed a petition asking the city not to renew their liquor license because of loud music.
Yesterday, Choptankâs threat against its neighbors was denounced in Annapolis, where the General Assembly is considering legislation that would strengthen protections for individuals who are sued or threatened with lawsuits if they exercise their right of free speech.
âNeedless to say, the people who got these letters were terrified,â said Paul Levy, a lawyer with the Public Citizen Litigation Group who follows free speech issues around the country.