Retired lawyer Ted Smith, who once operated a website called Netbuffs.com, was ordered Thursday to pay reasonable attorney fees to the University of Colorado and David Plati, assistant athletic director for media relations.
Smith sued the school and Plati after they allegedly denied him access to CU press releases and various sports files. But Smith, who operated the site for five years beginning in 1997, lost his court battle.
Smith claimed that because his lawsuit was dismissed by a lower court judge before trial, Plati and the school couldn’t recover attorney fees.
But the Colorado Court of Appeals said because Smith sought certain types of damages and the lawsuit was dismissed, CU and Plati were entitled to reasonable attorney fees they incurred defending the suit.
Smith, of Boulder, said Thursday that during the first year he operated the site, he received CU’s support.
Soon after that, the relationship soured. He said the website included all CU sports, including volleyball and women’s basketball. It invited comments from readers.
Staff writer Howard Pankratz can be reached at 303-820-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
