CalCoastNews reporter wins defamation case

May 9, 2026

John Belsher, former San Luis Obispo Mayor Jan Marx, former SLO County Supervisor Adam Hill and then Jody Belsher – now Jody Bernat

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Jody Bernat’s defamation lawsuit against CalCoastNews reporter Karen Velie has been dismissed. San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Tana Coates issued a ruling Friday applying California’s anti-SLAPP law to end the case.

“The anti-SLAPP statute enables defendants to quickly terminate meritless actions against them that are based on their constitutionally protected rights to speak freely and petition for redress of grievances,” Coates wrote in her ruling. “The motion to strike the complaint is granted.”

CalCoastNews published a story by Velie on Dec. 30, 2024 under the headline, “Is San Luis Obispo attorney John Belsher using an alias?”

Velie’s story focused primarily on John Belsher’s alleged attempts to evade collection of a more than $3.6 million judgment, Judge Coates stated in her ruling. The story mentioned that John Belsher’s wife, Jody, also was using an alias.

The article was part of a CalCoastNews series on real estate fraud committed by John Belsher and his partner Ryan Petetit-Wright. A lawsuit led to a judgment against Belsher and Petetit-Wright with Superior Court Judge Michael Kelley ordering them to pay more than $3.6 million to Debra and Jeff Chase, a couple the pair defrauded of nearly $3 million they invested in four of the developers’ projects.

Three weeks after the judgment, Jody Belsher filed a petition for legal separation from John Belsher noting irreconcilable differences. John Belsher represented her.

The petition claimed the couple separated on June 6, but Jody Belsher posted a statement at the same time reporting she and her husband were moving together to a home they own in Michigan. As CalCoastNews reported, “it appears they both moved to Surprise, Arizona.”

Steven Cable, a neighbor of John and Jody Belsher in Arizona, told CalCoastNews the Belshers introduce themselves as a married couple with the names Jon Bailey and Jody Bernat and that the couple used the names in pickleball events.

With Belsher serving as her attorney, Bernat filed a defamation suit over the Dec. 30, 2024, article. The complaint said the story was false and libelous because Bernat had officially changed her name in Oct. 2024, from Jody Belsher to Jody Bernat and was not using an alias.

“The article sets forth the fact that Bernat and Belsher filed a petition for legal separation three weeks after a judgment had been entered against Belsher; that Belsher no longer had an interest in the couple’s home in San Luis Obispo; but noting the couple was nonetheless living together in Arizona and introducing themselves as husband and wife,” Judge Coates wrote in her ruling.

“Bernat’s relationship with Belsher and any complicity in helping him evade the monetary judgment was an issue of public interest,” Judge Coates added.

“The court finds Velie has shown the complaint is subject to the anti-SLAPP statute,” according to the ruling. “Bernat has not shown a probability of success on the merits.”

Bernat argued that the anti-SLAPP statute should not apply because she is a private person and the article regarded a personal matter. However, Judge Coates stated “alleged fraudulent actions by an attorney are a matter of public concern.”

Under libel law, stories about matters of public interest or about public figures require that the defendant, publish a story with, either, knowledge that the story was false or had a high degree of awareness of the probable falsity of the story, retired Cal Poly media law professor Bill Loving said.

“It is difficult to prove either of those things. In the Belsher/Bernat case, Jody Belsher/Bernat’s name change was not general knowledge, Velie did not publish with knowledge of falsity. Neither did she have an awareness that the story likely was false,” Loving said. “Case law does not require publishers turn over every rock, look into every dusty filing cabinet or peer into any crystal balls before reporting the news.”

Because Jody Belsher/Bernat did not appear to have a case that would overcome the knowledge of falsity requirement, the court was not obligated to let the case go forward, Loving said.

On Jan. 12 of this year, amid separate disciplinary proceedings, Belsher resigned from the State Bar of California, doing so a few days after he reported he was no longer representing Bernat, who then self represented herself.

Last month, Bernat filed for substitution of counsel, listing attorney Jeffrey Minnery as her lawyer.

In granting the defense’s motion to strike the suit, Coates ordered Velie to prepare a proposed judgement which will include recovering legal expenses in filing the anti-SLAPP motion.

Anti-SLAPP laws have been passed in 40 states and the District of Columbia. SLAPP stands for Selective Litigation Against Public Participation. They were created in response to libel suits filed against community activists and journalists to prevent them from speaking out or reporting on matters of public interest for fear of being sued.

A developer with deep pockets could sue activists opposing a new development that threatened endangered species or caused harm to public waterways thus ensuring that no widespread public opposition could arise.

Moving forward, attorney Annalisa Zulueta, a partner at Kaufman Dolowich in San Fransisco, will file a motion to have Bernat pay Velie’s attorney fees and court costs.

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