Virginia teacher – A Fairfax County Latin teacher and a stay-at-home mother won defamation lawsuits after being targeted by social media posts from a conservative X account. A jury awarded Robert Rigby $350,000 and Vanessa Hall $700,000, totaling more than $1 million.
When the verdict came back, it didn’t just add up to money—it landed like a verdict on their character, and on the consequences of going after people online.
Robert Rigby, a Latin teacher in Fairfax County, and Vanessa Hall, a stay-at-home mom, were both targeted by social media attacks last year. After their defamation lawsuits, they were awarded more than one million dollars.
“Theirs very relieved,” their attorney, Jason Zellman, said. “I think they feel like there was justice.”
Rigby and Hall are both active with the Fairfax County Public Schools Pride organization and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. In January and February of 2025, they became the subject of posts from conservative X feed “The Virginia Project,” run by David Gordon.
Zellman said the posts used a nickname—“Rigby Halling,” a combination of their last names—and then recast it as a claim that the pair were “notorious child sex perverts,” portraying them as having “free run of FCPS.”
“They’re very relieved,” Zellman said again, emphasizing how the case reached a point where the facts were tested in court.
Beyond the “Rigby Halling” allegation, Zellman said the pair were also accused of being part of a child abduction scheme. He also described accusations that included claims of a “grooming gang,” and said Hall was accused of having access to children to ask and talk to them about sex.
At trial, the defense argued the dispute was about politics—liberal versus conservative viewpoints. But juries disagreed with that framing.
The juries ruled the social media posts were defamatory. Rigby was awarded $350,000. Hall was awarded $700,000.
Zellman said the message the plaintiffs sent through the lawsuits mattered as much as the outcome.
“I know neither Mr. Rigby nor Ms. Hall did this for the money. (They) did this to send a message that, first of all, these statements were untrue. And that there has to be a consequence for making such blatantly untrue statements.”
Describing the case as a cautionary tale, Zellman said opinions can be argued, but false allegations about crimes cannot be thrown around without accountability.
“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but you’re not entitled to make false factual statements accusing others of crimes,” he said. “Your words matter, they have an impact, and just because you’re anonymously posting behind a computer doesn’t mean you can say whatever you want.”
Virginia Fairfax County defamation lawsuit social media LGBTQ rights teacher parent The Virginia Project David Gordon Pride organization online harassment
So basically Twitter got sued and they paid. Wild.
I don’t even know who these people are but defamation awards are kinda crazy because everyone “posts opinions” now. If they called them child sex perverts that’s not opinion, that’s just gross.
Wait, I read somewhere it was like a pride thing at school and conservatives were mad? But then it’s about “grooming”?? Seems like both sides are always throwing accusations. How do they know it was false though, like can you really prove what someone was thinking online?
A million dollars for defamation just for some posts? I guess don’t be anonymous and cruel. I’m also confused why the defense said it was politics, like that doesn’t magically make it true. If the nickname thing was meant as a joke, why are they dragging kids into it??