From The Birmingham News, January 26, 2010:
 
Psychiatrist Wins Defamation Suit
 
A Jefferson County judge on Monday awarded $500,000 in damages to a psychiatrist who claims a woman defamed her online, after the respondent failed to appear for trial.  In a default judgment, Circuit Judge Scott Vowell awarded Anika Wilson $250,000 in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages against Tara McCollum.  Vowell on Monday heard testimony only from Wilson, a Madison doctor.  Wilson claims McCollum anonymously defamed her last year on al.com, the statewide Web site owned by Advance Internet, part of the company that owns The Birmingham News.  Al.com is not a party in the lawsuit.  Efforts to reach McCollum, who is representing herself in the case, were unsuccessful Monday.  She has denied Wilson's accusation, saying in a court filing that she believed Wilson was suing her for malicious reasons.  An address change was filed with the court in December for McCollum, who previously was listed at a Birmingham address.
 
-----Erin Stock