Weingarten v. Block

Opinion

TAYLOR, P. J.

The major questions presented by this appeal 1 are whether the trial court properly: 1) found that plaintiff, Saul M. Weingarten (Weingarten), the former City Attorney of Seaside and local attorney for its redevelopment agency, was a “public official” and “public figure” within the rule of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964) 376 U.S. 254 [11 L.Ed.2d 686, 84 S.Ct. 710, 95 A.L.R.2d 1412], and Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts (1967) 388 U.S. 130 [18 L.Ed.2d 1094, 87 S.Ct. 1975]; 2) granted a nonsuit at the conclusion of Weingarten’s evidence before a jury on his complaint for…