Supreme Court of Florida

In a case alleging false-light defamation, dismissal of false-light claim as not recognized by Florida law is affirmed where: 1) Florida law does not recognize a cause of action for false light invasion of privacy; 2) Florida law does recognize a cause of action for defamation by implication; and 3) a communication can be considered defamatory if it "prejudices" the plaintiff in the eyes of a "substantial and respectable minority of the community."

Appellate Information

• Decided 10/23/2008
• Published 10/23/2008

Judges

• PARIENTE, J.

Court

• Supreme Court of Florida

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Mathew D. Staver and Anita L. Staver, Liberty Counsel, Maitland, FL, Erik W. Stanley, Mary E. McAlister, Rena M. Lindevaldsen, and David M. Corry, Liberty Counsel, Lynchburg, VA, for Petitioner., Bruce S. Rogow and Cynthia E. Gunther of Bruce S. Rogow, P.A., Fort Lauderdale, FL, and on behalf of Joe Anderson, Jr.;   and Gregg D. Thomas, James J. McGuire, and Rachel E. Fugate of Thomas and Locicero, P.L., Tampa, FL, on behalf of Media General Operations, Inc., The New York Times Company, Orlando Sentinel Communications Company, Sun-Sentinel Company, the Florida Press Association, ABC, Inc., ESPN, Inc., the E.W. Scripps Company, the Association of American Publishers, and Cox Enterprises, Inc. (collectively the Florida Media Organizations), as Amici Curiae.


• For Appellees:
  
• Barry M. Silver, Boca Raton, FL, for Respondent.