Tarpley v. Colfax Chronicle

THIBODEAUX, Judge.

Plaintiff, Edward L. Tarpley, Jr., a public official, appeals a grant of summary judgment dismissing his defamation suit in favor of defendants, The Colfax Chronicle and its editor, Helen Richards. The trial court concluded that Mr. Tarpley had not satisfied his burden of producing sufficient quantitative and qualitative evidence to establish clearly and convincingly a reasonable likelihood of actual malice or reckless falsity at trial.

■ ISSUES

The issues before this court are: 1) whether summary judgment was properly granted and 2) whether actual malice is an element in a…