Legal Opinion
Potomac Valve & Fitting Inc. Raymond C. McGarvey v. Crawford Fitting Company Dibert Valve & Fitting Company, Inc.
Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Decided September 24, 1987No. 86-2666PublishedCited by 80 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
WISDOM, Senior Circuit Judge:
This is a diversity suit for damages based upon theories of defamation, civil conspiracy, and violation of Virginia’s “insulting words” statute. The district court entered summary judgment for the defendants, and the plaintiffs brought this appeal. Because we find that the principal statement at issue was a constitutionally protected expression of opinion, we affirm.
I
The plaintiffs are Potomac Valve & Fitting Inc. (Potomac Valve) and its president and owner, Raymond McGarvey. The plaintiffs distribute “Bi-lok” brand tube fittings in Maryland and Virginia. The…
2Cases cited34 opinions
- Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, Administratrix of the Estate of CatrettSupreme Court of the United States · 1986
- New York Times Co. v. SullivanSupreme Court of the United States · 1964
- United States v. Diebold, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1962
- Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc.Supreme Court of the United States · 1984
29 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by80 opinions
- Merrill E. Fields v. Attorney General of the State of Maryland Kenneth E. Taylor, WardenCourt of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · 1992
- Chapin v. Knight-Ridder, Inc.Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · 1993
- Dan E. Moldea v. New York Times CompanyCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit · 1994
- Standing Committee on Discipline of the United States District Court for the Central District of California v. Stephen YagmanCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · 1995
- Phantom Touring, Inc. v. Affiliated PublicationsCourt of Appeals for the First Circuit · 1992
75 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.