Car dealerships are no stranger to lawsuits—often alleging fraud, breach of contract or violation of federal and state laws. But defamation?

That’s a first for appellate laywer Nancy Gregoire of Birnbaum, Lippman & Gregoire in Fort Lauderdale, who represents Pembroke Pines company Countyline Auto Center Inc., which faced a defamation claim brought by South Florida couple Olga and Stanislav Kulinsky.