Legal Opinion
Lane v. MPG Newspapers
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided January 16, 2003PublishedCited by 7 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
Cordy, J,
In this case we hold that persons who serve in elective public office, including that of town meeting representative, are “public officials” for purposes of our defamation law.
*4771. Background. The town of Plymouth (town) is governed by a board of selectmen (board) and a representative town meeting. According to the town charter, town meeting representatives “shall exercise all legislative powers of the town.” There are 104 elected town meeting representatives, eight each from thirteen precincts.2 They meet once a year to approve bylaws, budgets, and bond issues proposed by the board.…
2Cases cited37 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
- St. Amant v. ThompsonSupreme Court of the United States · 1968
- Curtis Publishing Co. v. ButtsSupreme Court of the United States · 1967
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3Cited by7 opinions
- MacDonald v. PatonMassachusetts Appeals Court · 2003
- Commonwealth v. LucasMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2015
- Meredith & Grew, Inc. v. Worcester Lincoln, LLCMassachusetts Appeals Court · 2005
- Byrnes v. LukesMassachusetts Superior Court · 2012
- Mazetis v. Enterprise Publishing Co.Massachusetts Superior Court · 2007
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