Kramer Levin Obtains Dismissal of Lawsuit Against the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot

On March 27, 2017, Kramer Levin secured a victory on behalf of its pro bono client The Organization for the Resolution of Agunot (ORA) when the Superior Court of New Jersey granted summary judgment dismissing all claims filed against ORA by David Kestler, who had refused to give his ex-wife a “get.”

ORA is a not-for-profit organization devoted to eliminating get-refusal by, among other things, assisting agunot in obtaining a get, a bill of Jewish divorce necessary to terminate a marriage in accordance with Jewish law and without which, according to Jewish law, a wife cannot remarry. Get-refusal occurs when a husband withholds the get after the marriage is over; agunot are the ex-wives from whom the get is withheld. In 2015, plaintiff Jute David Kestler filed suit against ORA, alleging defamation and other claims arising from ORA’s publicity for a peaceful rally protesting Mr. Kestler’s get-refusal. Mr. Kestler also alleged that ORA was liable for defamation and other misconduct because the organization features information concerning his get-refusal on its website. By Order dated March 27, 2017, the Superior Court granted summary judgment in favor of ORA on all claims.