Legal Opinion
Fletcher v. San Jose Mercury News
California Court of Appeal
Decided November 9, 1989No. H002265PublishedCited by 20 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
Opinion
ELIA, J.
This is an action for libel and slander brought by appellant Claude Fletcher, a former San Jose City councilman, against respondents San Jose Mercury News, Knight-Ridder Publications and Mercury News reporter Scott Herhold.
The libel claim arose after the Mercury News published a series of articles reporting on Fletcher’s conduct as a member of the board of economic and social opportunities (ESO), a local antipoverty agency. The slander cause of action resulted from allegations that Herhold described Fletcher as a “crook” and a “crooked politician.”
Respondents’ motion for…
2Cases cited30 opinions
- New York Times Co. v. SullivanSupreme Court of the United States · 1964
- Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1974
- National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People v. ButtonSupreme Court of the United States · 1963
- Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1984
- St. Amant v. ThompsonSupreme Court of the United States · 1968
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3Cited by20 opinions
- Christian Research Institute v. AlnorCalifornia Court of Appeal · 2008
- ELSENBERG v. Alameda Newspapers, Inc.California Court of Appeal · 1999
- Copp v. PaxtonCalifornia Court of Appeal · 1996
- Christian Research Institute v. AlnorCalifornia Court of Appeal · 2007
- Live Oak Publishing Co. v. CohaganCalifornia Court of Appeal · 1991
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