'False light' cases get day in court

[flashl]

Source: Tallahassee Democrat


Justices weigh merit of lawsuits against media

In a clash of press and privacy rights that has drawn national attention, skeptical Florida Supreme Court justices raised pointed questions Thursday about permitting lawsuits against publishers and broadcasters for casting a "false light" on facts and information in news stories.

"It's a powerful weapon that newspapers have and when there is some abuse of it, there should be some remedy," said Fort Lauderdale attorney Bruce Rogow, representing construction executive Joe Anderson, whose $18.3 million judgment against Gannett Newspapers was reversed by the 1st District Court of Appeal last year.

Former state Rep. Barry Silver of Boca Raton argued in a separate case for Edith Rapp, who unsuccessfully sued an organization known as Jews for Jesus for reporting that her stepson had persuaded her to recite a Christian prayer and align with the group. Silver conceded that the disputed report would not have been defamatory for all people, but said it seriously harmed his client in her Jewish community of Palm Beach County.

...

Justice Charles Wells said, "My concern is that if you can sue somebody for making a true statement, then there really is a great impediment to freedom of speech and freedom of the press... " He said reporters, editors and their lawyers would have to decide not only whether information is accurate, but whether its repetition might cause someone discomfort.

Read more: http://floridacapitalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080307/CAPITOLNEWS/803070332&theme=

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It's true but harmful, therefore, I sue?

[Pab Sungenis]

1. Dangerous precedent.

Can't allow this.

[GOPNotForMe]

2. Ooh Ooh I was there!

I got to observe oral arguments yesterday. It was fascinating. My prediction is that the court won't recognize false light. They all seemed extremely skeptical.

[strategery blunder]

3. False light would be an excellent weapon for the GOP

to keep those few pesky journalists with any notion of integrity far, far away, like Guantanamo. :scared: