Are there lawsuits mentioning Phil Godlewski as a plaintiff, defendant, or witness?
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Executive summary
Court records and reporting show multiple lawsuits involving Philip (Phil) Godlewski: a high‑profile 2021 libel/defamation suit he filed against the Scranton Times‑Tribune and related parties, at least one California case where he is named as a defendant (Christine McCaslin v. Philip Godlewski), and numerous docket references and archives collecting his litigation activity [1] [2] [3]. Available sources document Godlewski as both plaintiff and defendant; they do not comprehensively list every case or state whether he has appeared as a witness [1] [2] [3].
1. A defamation suit that backfired: Godlewski as plaintiff
In 2021 Godlewski sued the Scranton Times‑Tribune and reporter Chris Kelly for libel/defamation — a suit widely reported because the newspaper’s defense and subsequent filings brought older court records and allegations about his conduct into public view [3] [1]. Rolling Stone and other outlets describe that his defamation filing led to public exposure of past records alleging a sexual relationship with a minor, which became central to the news coverage and legal dispute [3] [4]. A court docket archive lists the 2021 case as “TORT/LS LIBEL/SLANDER” with Godlewski as plaintiff and multiple media defendants [1].
2. Defendant status in California harassment/defamation litigation
A Los Angeles County tentative ruling recorded in April 2024 names “Philip Godlewski” as a defendant in Christine McCaslin v. Philip Godlewski, et al., where the plaintiff alleges Godlewski posted her contact and business details to his Telegram followers and encouraged harassment, resulting in alleged harm to her salon business [2]. The ruling and docket notes show ongoing discovery disputes and repeated references to his social media reach [2]. This source places Godlewski clearly on the receiving end of a civil suit alleging online harassment and related damages [2].
3. Media coverage and commentary cataloguing many suits
Multiple media outlets and blogs chronicle Godlewski’s litigious activity more generally. Reports and commentary describe him as “suing everybody,” collect court documents and dockets from 2021 onward, and analyze judicial reactions to his filings [5] [6] [1]. Techdirt and a court‑document archive present transcripts and case lists showing repeated filings and appeals, indicating sustained litigation over several years [6] [1]. These sources portray a pattern: Godlewski brings suits and also draws counterclaims and strong judicial scrutiny [6] [1].
4. Criminal history surfaced during civil litigation — why that matters
Reporting makes plain that the defamation suit against the Scranton Times prompted disclosure of earlier criminal records and allegations that figured into the civil case narrative; outlets say those disclosures changed public and legal perceptions of the suit [3] [4]. Raw Story and Rolling Stone recount that the newspaper’s filings alleged perjury and detailed a past law enforcement matter described as a sexual relationship with a minor; those revelations became a focal point of coverage [4] [3]. These are not new criminal prosecutions in the recent filings but are cited in civil pleadings and news reports tied to his litigation [3] [4].
5. Docket listings and archives show more cases but not a complete picture
A Justia docket browse and independent archive sites list multiple entries and case files under Godlewski’s name, indicating other federal and state dockets where “Godlewski v.” or similar appear [7] [1]. The VirtusVincit archive compiles PDFs and docket items from 2024 and 2025 listing him as plaintiff in several matters and shows appellate activity [1]. These archives suggest additional suits beyond the two high‑profile examples, but they do not provide a definitive, court‑verified master list of every case [1] [7].
6. What sources do not say — limits of available reporting
Available sources do not provide a comprehensive database of every lawsuit or docket entry involving Godlewski; they do not enumerate every jurisdiction or every role he may have played (plaintiff, defendant, witness) across all cases [1] [7]. They do not present any documented instance in which Godlewski is explicitly identified only as a witness rather than a party; if such witness appearances exist, they are not mentioned in the current reporting and archives (not found in current reporting). Nor do the sources supply final judgments or outcomes for all listed cases; many citations reference tentative rulings, filings, or archived PDFs rather than final dispositions [2] [1].
7. Competing perspectives and likely agendas in coverage
Mainstream outlets (Rolling Stone, Raw Story) emphasize the reputational and factual consequences of his defamation suit and highlight allegations from court records [3] [4]. Blogs and commentary sites (Techdirt, VirtusVincit) frame his litigation as either a pattern of meritless suits or as an ongoing campaign against critics; those sites have their own editorial slants that focus on legal drama and public spectacle [6] [1]. Readers should note media outlets differ in tone: some foreground alleged misconduct revealed by filings, others critique the legal tactics and broader online behavior attributed to Godlewski [3] [6].
Conclusion: Contemporary reporting and docket archives document Godlewski both suing others (notably the Scranton Times defamation case) and being sued (the McCaslin Los Angeles action), with multiple other docketed items collated online; however, available sources do not provide an exhaustive list of every suit or any recorded instances of him appearing solely as a witness [1] [2] [3].