Nevada Judge Tosses Kash Patel Defamation Suit Over Jurisdiction Limits

On July 25, 2026, a Nevada federal judge dismissed Kash Patel's defamation lawsuit against blogger Jim Stewartson, ruling Nevada courts lacked jurisdiction over Stewartson's online posts.^[1]

Chief U.S. District Judge Andrew Gordon found Stewartson did not have the "minimum contacts" with Nevada required for personal jurisdiction because the posts were aimed at a national audience rather than Nevada specifically.^[1] Gordon also overturned a prior default judgment that had awarded Patel and his foundation a total of $250,000 in damages.^[1] Stewartson told the court he first learned of the default judgment from a CNBC article and said he was never properly served.^[1]

Patel, a Nevada resident who serves as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has brought multiple defamation suits in recent years. He also has a separate defamation case against The Atlantic that is pending in Washington, D.C.

Legal analysts say the ruling highlights the hurdles plaintiffs face when they try to sue online speakers in states where the speakers lack targeted contacts. The decision leaves Patel able to pursue other cases, but it limits Nevada courts' ability to hear claims based solely on broadly published internet speech.

1. MS NOW