Asheville, NC, September 6, 2025

News Summary

The North Carolina Court of Appeals has dismissed ParkMobile’s appeal regarding a slander lawsuit filed by the city of Asheville. The court’s ruling allows the city’s slander claims to proceed, stemming from allegations that ParkMobile misrepresented its affiliation with Asheville’s parking facilities, causing confusion among customers and damaging the city’s reputation. As the legal battle continues, the outcome may have significant implications for how slander claims involving government entities are treated in North Carolina.

Asheville

The North Carolina Court of Appeals dismissed ParkMobile’s appeal on September 5, 2025, concerning a slander lawsuit filed by the city of Asheville. This development follows a previous ruling by a trial judge, which allowed the slander case to proceed. City officials argue that ParkMobile misrepresented its relationship with Asheville, leading to a detrimental impact on the city’s reputation and operational resources.

Asheville’s lawsuit against ParkMobile was initiated in May 2024, citing allegations of slander and deceptive representation. The city claims that ParkMobile inaccurately represented certain privately owned parking facilities in Asheville as associated with the city. The complaint includes charges that ParkMobile misrepresented the city as the appropriate contact for resolving parking issues at these facilities and also mischaracterized the relationship between ParkMobile and the city.

The misrepresentations claimed in the lawsuit allegedly created confusion among parking customers and damaged the city’s standing in the community. City officials assert that the misleading statements by ParkMobile not only misled the public but also drained city staff resources due to the required clarifications and corrections.

A Superior Court Judge, Alan Thornburg, had previously dismissed the deceptive representation charge but ruled that the slander claims could move forward. The distinction between types of slander is notable: slander “per se” refers to harmful false statements that require no additional proof, whereas slander “per quod” indicates that the defamatory harm arises when combined with other facts.

ParkMobile’s legal team contended that the city had no standing to pursue slander claims, arguing that statements made about government entities are granted absolute privilege under the First Amendment. Consequently, ParkMobile filed an interlocutory appeal challenging the trial court’s decision to allow the slander claims to proceed, emphasizing a supposed lack of precedent for a government entity to maintain a libel or slander action against it.

The appellate judges, in their ruling, did not provide reasons for dismissing ParkMobile’s appeal, leaving the lower court’s ruling intact and allowing the slander claims to proceed to trial. The ramifications of this case extend beyond ParkMobile, as the Court of Appeals also rejected a request from North Carolina Governor Josh Stein to pause a related legal case involving appointments within the state’s judicial and utilities commissions. Additionally, Asheville is facing multiple legal challenges, including 13 lawsuits against the owner of a former tire manufacturing facility in Charlotte and a recent federal ruling concerning a racial discrimination lawsuit against Asheville’s Human Relations Commission, which arose after changes were made by the City Council.

Conclusion

The dismissal of ParkMobile’s appeal signifies a pivotal moment for Asheville as it seeks to hold the company accountable for alleged misrepresentation and potential damages. As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome could set a precedent for how slander claims involving government municipalities are handled in North Carolina.

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Additional Resources

• Carolina Journal: NC Appeals Court Will Not Take Up Asheville’s Slander Suit Against Private Company
• Mountain X: City Brings Slander Lawsuit Against ParkMobile
• PR Newswire: ParkMobile Announces Partnership with The Car Park
• WLOS: Asheville Towing News Investigation
• Law360: NC Court Rejects ParkMobile’s Bid to Escape Slander Case

Author: STAFF HERE ASHEVILLE WRITER

The ASHEVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREAsheville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Asheville, Buncombe County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Asheville Bread Festival, LEAF Festival, and mountain sports tournaments at Biltmore Estate. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau, plus leading businesses in hospitality and brewing that power the local economy such as the Biltmore Estate and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. As part of the broader HERE network, including HERECharlotte.com, HEREGreensboro.com, HERERaleigh.com, and HEREOBX.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into North Carolina's dynamic landscape.