The principal issues in these cases are (1) whether, in Greer, a public official's status as a libel plaintiff alleging harm from an online publication should be according to his notoriety in his community or assessed by the Internet's worldwide reach and (2) whether, in Sullivan, the text of the Texas Citizens' Participation Act allows "justice and equity" as a basis to reduce attorney fees or only for "other expenses" for a successful defendant defeating a libel claim under the statute. These appeals arise from a political blog post that initially alleged Abraham, a school-board member in Canadian, Texas, was forced by state troopers from a campaign event 230 miles from Canadian for a state representative he opposed. When Abraham complained that he left voluntarily and that troopers were not involved, the blog corrected the story in updates. Abraham then sued for libel, naming in one suit the organization and its director publishing the blog and in the other Sullivan, a political activist Abraham accused as the story's source. The trial court dismissed both suits, based on the Texas Citizens' Participation Act. The appeals court reversed both trial-court decisions. In Greer the court held that the blog did not relate to Abraham's conduct as a school trustee, thus the liability standard Abraham had to meet to avoid dismissal was not as great as the trial court ruled. In Sullivan the court of appeals affirmed the attorney fees and costs the trial court awarded Sullivan.

The principal issues in these cases are (1) whether, in Greer, a public official's status as a libel plaintiff alleging harm from an online publication should be according to his notoriety in his community or assessed by the Internet's worldwide reach and (2) whether, in Sullivan, the text of the Texas Citizens' Participation Act allows "justice and equity" as a basis to reduce attorney fees or only for "other expenses" for a successful defendant defeating a libel claim under the statute. These appeals arise from a political blog post that initially alleged Abraham, a school-board member in Canadian, Texas, was forced by state troopers from a campaign event 230 miles from Canadian for a state representative he opposed. When Abraham complained that he left voluntarily and that troopers were not involved, the blog corrected the story in updates. Abraham then sued for libel, naming in one suit the organization and its director publishing the blog and in the other Sullivan, a political activist Abraham accused as the story's source. The trial court dismissed both suits, based on the Texas Citizens' Participation Act. The appeals court reversed both trial-court decisions. In Greer the court held that the blog did not relate to Abraham's conduct as a school trustee, thus the liability standard Abraham had to meet to avoid dismissal was not as great as the trial court ruled. In Sullivan the court of appeals affirmed the attorney fees and costs the trial court awarded Sullivan.