Legal Opinion
Fellows v. National Enquirer, Inc.
California Supreme Court
Decided July 31, 1986No. L.A. 32082PublishedCited by 49 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
Opinion
BROUSSARD, J.
Under Civil Code section 45a, language that is defamatory only by reference to extrinsic facts is not actionable unless the plaintiff can prove special damages.1 Special damages are defined in Civil Code section 48a as damages to property, business or occupation.2 In this case *236we must decide whether the special damages rule of section 45 a applies when a defamatory publication gives rise to an action for false light invasion of privacy rather than libel. We conclude that when a false light action is based on a publication that is defamatory within the meaning of the…
2Cases cited39 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
- Curtis Publishing Co. v. ButtsSupreme Court of the United States · 1967
- Time, Inc. v. HillSupreme Court of the United States · 1967
- Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co.Supreme Court of the United States · 1977
34 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by49 opinions
- Donald Newcombe v. Adolf Coors Company Foote, Cone and Belding and Time, Inc.Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 1998
- Gennifer Flowers v. James Carville Hillary Rodham Clinton Little, Brown & Co. George StephanopoulosCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 2002
- West v. Media General Convergence, Inc.Tennessee Supreme Court · 2001
- Gilbert v. SykesCalifornia Court of Appeal · 2007
- Schaffer v. ZekmanAppellate Court of Illinois · 1990
44 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.