- A lawsuit filed by Aynur Baghirzade against ANCA, ANCA-WR, and others was dismissed by a US federal court.
- The US District Court for the Southern District of California issued the decision on April 14, 2025.
- The court ordered the plaintiff’s Third Amended Complaint stricken and the case closed.
- ANCA welcomed the dismissal, describing the allegations against them as unfounded.
- ANCA thanked their legal team for their representation in the case.
ANCA Lawsuit Dismissed by US Federal Court in California – 2025
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) have welcomed a recent decision by a United States federal court. On April 14, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California dismissed a lawsuit that had been brought against the ANCA, ANCA-WR, and thirty other defendants.
Lawsuit Filed by California Attorney Against Multiple Parties
The lawsuit was filed by Aynur Baghirzade, who is identified as a California attorney and an individual. The case, bearing Civil Action No. 3:24-cv-1077-RSH-MMP, listed a significant number of defendants in addition to the ANCA and ANCA-WR. According to the Judgment in a Civil Case document provided, the defendants included individuals such as Aram Hamparian, Armen Sahakyan, Jeremy Stoppelman, Trudy Levindofske, Teresa Vuki, Seth Chavez, Coco Su, Jake Baloian, Estrella Sanchez, and Van Der Megerdichian, Zaven Kouroghlian, and Ani Tchaglasian. The list also featured organizational and corporate defendants, including Yelp, Inc., Google, Inc., Alphabet Inc., Orange County Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Attorney Search Network, Nolo, LegalMatch California, YouTube, LLC, Zartonk Media, LLC, Legalshield, Parker – Stanbury, LLP, Greystar California, Inc., Kia America, Inc., and ARF Eastern USA, Inc., along with additional defendants listed as DOES 1 – 290.
Nature of Allegations Described as Unfounded by ANCA
According to the statement released by the Armenian National Committee of America, the lawsuit brought by Aynur Baghirzade leveled “unfounded accusations” against the ANCA, ANCA-WR, and the other individuals and organizations named as defendants in Baghirzade’s filings. The ANCA’s statement also provided context on the plaintiff’s prior public profile, noting that Baghirzade first came to public attention through a lengthy series of incendiary social media posts. Among other strong expressions contained in these posts, the ANCA states that Baghirzade described Armenians as a “carcinoma” that needed to be “deleted.”
US District Court’s Decision and Case Closure
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California issued a clear order regarding the lawsuit on April 14, 2025. According to the court’s judgment, the plaintiff’s Third Amended Complaint was ordered STRICKEN, meaning it was removed from the court’s record. Furthermore, the court ordered that the action is DISMISSED, effectively terminating the lawsuit. All remaining motions that were pending before the court were DENIED as moot, meaning they no longer required a decision due to the dismissal of the main action. The court explicitly declared that the case is hereby closed, finalizing the legal proceedings related to this specific civil action.
ANCA Welcomes Dismissal and Praises Legal Representation
In response to the court’s decision, the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region issued a statement welcoming the outcome. The ANCA conveyed its gratitude to the legal team that represented them and the other defendants in the case. The statement specifically named Dick A. Semerdjian and his colleagues at Schwartz Semerdjian Cauley Schena & Bush LLP for their work. The ANCA described their legal team’s representation as “exemplary” and praised them for “stepping up in a consistently principled and professional manner” to defend the community against what the ANCA characterized as “false and defamatory allegations.” The ANCA statement further commented that Mr. Semerdjian represents the finest of both Armenian and American traditions.
Background on the Plaintiff’s Public Statements
The ANCA’s statement regarding the dismissal of the lawsuit included information about how the plaintiff, Aynur Baghirzade, initially gained public attention. This was reportedly through extensive and inflammatory posts on social media platforms. The ANCA highlighted specific language allegedly used in these posts as indicative of the nature of the plaintiff’s public commentary prior to the filing of the lawsuit that has now been dismissed by the court.
Significance of the Ruling
The decision by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to strike the Third Amended Complaint and dismiss the action effectively brings an end to the legal proceedings in this specific case. The court’s declaration that the case is closed signifies that no further actions will be taken within this lawsuit. For the defendants, including the ANCA and ANCA-WR, the dismissal represents a successful outcome in the legal challenge they faced.
Source: ANCA Statement, US District Court Judgment