James D. Nichols v. Michael Moore

OPINION

RALPH B. GUY, JR., Circuit Judge.

Plaintiff James Nichols appeals the district court’s entry of summary judgment in favor of defendant Michael Moore. On appeal, Nichols makes numerous arguments, including that the district court (1) wrongfully made factual determinations in concluding that Moore’s allegedly defamatory statements were substantially true, and (2) erroneously determined that Nichols was a public figure and erroneously applied the “actual malice” standard. For the following reasons, we affirm.

I

In 2002, documentary film producer Michael Moore released the movie Bowling for…