Heard v. Neighbor Newspapers, Inc.

The Court of Appeals affirmed the grant of summary judgment to a defendant newspaper in a libel action, based upon a holding that the publication of a report received from an investigator was privileged by virtue of OCGA § 51-5-7 (7). Heard v. Neighbor Newspapers, 190 Ga. App. 756 (380 SE2d 279) (1989). We granted certiorari upon the following inquiry:

Is information from a welfare fraud investigator as to what transpired in court conditionally privileged? If so, is a fact issue as to malice created by the reporter’s failure to check this information?

Factual Background

1. A grand jury indicted…