Bruce Plante v. Ronald P. Long

I. INTRODUCTION

[¶ 20] I respectfully dissent because the Court has improperly used summary judgment to resolve factual disputes regarding motivation, knowledge, ' or intent. The *250plaintiffs, Dennis and Brace Plante, are entitled to have a jury decide, whether Long fabricated facts surrounding events that occurred between the Plantes and Long.

II. DISCUSSION

[¶ 21] The Court correctly sets out the actual malice element of the Plantes’ defamation claim against Long, that the Plantes must prove “that the defamatory material was published with actual malice.” Ballard v. Wagner, 2005 ME 86, ¶ 10, 877…