Michael Harlow v. State of Minnesota Department of Human Services

OPINION

KIRK, Judge.

In this consolidated appeal following the district court’s denial of their motion for summary judgment, appellants argue that (1) the district court erred by denying summary judgment on respondent’s MGDPA claims because their statements communicated public data; (2) the district court erred by denying summary judgment on respondent’s defamation claim because their statements were absolutely privileged; and (3) alternatively, their statements were qualifiedly privileged. We reverse.

FACTS

Respondent Michael Harlow, M.D., a psychiatrist, was fired from the Minnesota Security…