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HALIFAX — A judge has struck down Nova Scotia’s groundbreaking anti-cyberbullying law inspired by the Rehtaeh Parsons case.

Justice Glen McDougall of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia also declined a Crown request to suspend his declaration that the law is invalid for 12 months to allow the legislature time to amend it.

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Lawyer David Fraser challenged the Cyber-safety Act on constitutional grounds as part of a case involving client Robert Snell, who was placed under a cyber safety protection order sought by his former business partner last December.

Fraser argued the law was too broad and an “unreasonable and unjustified” infringement of freedom of expression rights.

The Crown said the Supreme Court of Canada has recognized the freedom of expression is not an “absolute right” and that social values will at times conflict and some limits must be placed even on fundamental rights.

The law was passed in May 2013 in response to public outrage over the death of Parsons.

Her family alleges the teen was sexually assaulted in November 2011 and bullied for months after a digital photo of the assault was passed around her school. Parsons died after attempting suicide in April 2013.