Back in January we learned that Courtney Love was being sued for defamation after she posted a series of derogatory tweets toward a fashion designer known as Boudoir Queen (real name Dawn Simorangkir). As a result of that lawsuit, Love decided to settle the case for the sum of approximately $430,000 (the exact amount is scheduled to be revealed next week). Apparently, Love‘s attorneys feared she would have to pay out a lot more money and decided to bite the bullet and settle … to the tune of almost half a million dollars.

Rocker Courtney Love has settled the lawsuit brought against her by a fashion designer who claims she was defamed in a series of messages posted on Twitter. The settlement with Dawn Simorangkir (aka the “Boudior Queen”), which sources say is being finalized today and will be announced next week, will cost Love about $430,000. The first payment of cash is due today, followed by a series of payments to Simorangkir stretched out until 2014 … Love argued that her rantings were merely an expression of opinion and that Simorangkir could not prove how they damaged her. The fashion designer, on the other hand, pointed to Love’s influence as an entertainer and the power of social media to disseminate damaging comments, including that Simorangkir was an “asswipe nasty lying hosebag thief.” “The amount of the settlement says it all,” Simorangkir attorney Bryan Freedman tells THR. “Her reprehensible defamatory comments were completely false and $430,000 is quite a significant way to say I am sorry. One would hope that, given this disaster, restraint of pen, tongue and tweet would guide Ms. Love’s future conduct.” Love attorney James Janowitz says he’s pleased with the deal. “Because of the extended payout it’s a modest settlement,” Janowitz tells us, adding that Simorangkir had asked for “vastly more” in discussions. “They got out with an amount that left them bragging rights but nothing else.” Will Love continue to express herself on Twitter? “I don’t think she’s using it any more,” he says. “But I could be wrong.”

Altho the case did not actually go to trial, this does make it crystal clear that defamatory statements made on Twitter can come back to bite you in the ass. No precedent has been set here but I think news of Love‘s $400k+ pay out should be a warning to those who think they can “express” themselves on Twitter without suffering the consequences. It remains to be seen if C. Love will continue to tweet in the future, my guess is that she will, but I would hope that she will exercise some restraint in the future … tho, I sincerely doubt that she will.

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