A Moncton judge has thrown out a request by a business woman to find out who mailed an anonymous letter to every Dieppe household during the municipal election in May.

Andrée Savoie, the president of Acadian Construction, said the letter defamed her and the company and she wanted the judge to force Canada Post to reveal who had mailed it.

Judge Jean-Paul Ouellette agreed that Savoie would feel scandalized by the letter, which was sent by a group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Dieppe.

The letter said Yvon Lapierre, who was running for mayor, had given contracts to build city hall to close friends during an earlier term as mayor. (Lapierre was elected as the city's mayor on May 14.)

The letter also said a company called Place 1604 was created to get around the public tendering process.

Savoie's lawyer argued that was defamatory, especially since his client was the president of Place 1604.

He asked the judge for a court order to get the names of whoever mailed the anonymous letter, otherwise he argued his client had no way of knowing who to sue.

But the judge disagreed with the lawyer's argument.

Ouellette said he felt the courts must protect freedom of expression, especially during an election campaign.

The judge noted the letter never mentioned Savoie or Acadian Construction by name. He said that was enough to dismiss the case.

Ouellette did add that the people who were named, Yvon Lapierre and the company Place 1604, might be able to sue. However, he noted they weren't part of the case.