A federal judge in Manhattan used terms such as “meritless,” “frivolous,” and “fantasy” in dismissing a defamation lawsuit against retired Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and others alleging they were part of a conspiracy to defame and retaliate against the union leader for New York’s 1,500 court officers.

Plaintiff Dennis Quirk, president of the New York State Court Officers Association, alleged that DiFiore had headed a conspiracy to paint him as racist in a press report as payback for his criticism of her response to the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.