ORLANDO, FL -- An Orange County judge refused to dismiss a defamation suit against Casey Anthony on Tuesday.
Judge Jose Rodriguez then went one step further: he granted a request to seek punitive damages against Casey.
Casey's attorneys wanted Rodriguez to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, who claims Casey defamed her when she told police that her daughter, Caylee Anthony, had been kidnapped by a nanny named Zenaida Gonzalez.
The 30-minute hearing was attended by Casey's parents and their attorney Brad Conway, but not Casey or Zenaida Gonzalez.
The Morgan and Morgan law firm is representing Gonzalez, a 38-year-old mother of six from Kissimmee.
Caylee (photos) was 2-years-old when she went missing last June, but her remains were not found until December.
She had been missing for about a month before Casey reported the disappearance.
Casey (photos) is accused of murdering Caylee and has pleaded not guilty. Her trial is set for October. Prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty.
