Case Title: Dodge v. Henriod

Citation: 21 Utah 2d 277, 444 P.2d 753

Docket Number: 11198

State: utah

Court: Utah Supreme Court

Date: 1968-08-29T00:00:00Z

Document:
444 P.2d 753 (1968) 21 Utah 2d 277 Ray DODGE, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. Utah Supreme Court Justice F. Henri HENRIOD, Kearns-Tribune Corporation and Deseret News Publishing Company, Defendants and Respondents. No. 11198. Supreme Court of Utah. August 29, 1968. *754 Ray Dodge, pro se. Phil L. Hansen, Atty. Gen., LeRoy S. Axland, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jones, Waldo, Holbrook & McDonough, H.R. Waldo, Jr., Salt Lake City, for respondents. KELLER, District Judge: In the case of Dodge, Plaintiff v. State of Utah, Defendant, 20 Utah 2d 48, 432 P.2d 640, Justice F. Henri Henriod in a decision affirming a judgment of the Honorable John F. Wahlquist, a Judge of the Second Judicial District Court of the State of Utah, dismissing with prejudice the complaint of the plaintiff in a habeas corpus proceeding used the following language: In reporting this action on the part of Justice Henriod The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News quoted the foregoing language. The plaintiff brought this action alleging that the quoted language was slanderous and praying for damages in the sum of $100,000 from the defendant Justice Henriod and $50,000 from the publishing companies. Since the statement made was in the course of a judicial proceeding and in the discharge of an official duty, it is declared by our statute not to be libelous per se. 45-2-3, Utah Code Annotated 1953. The trial court was correct as a matter of law in dismissing the plaintiff's complaint. See Carter v. Jackson, 10 Utah 2d 284, 351 P.2d 957; Blackhan v. Snelgrove, 3 Utah 2d 157, 280 P.2d 453. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed. Costs to defendants (respondents). CROCKETT, C.J., and CALLISTER and TUCKETT, JJ., concur. ELLETT, Justice (concurring): I concur, but I do not think there should be any inference that liability would attach if the alleged statement was defamatory per se. Whether it is defamatory per se or per quod is immaterial. The justice has an absolute immunity from any liability for that which he writes in his official opinions. The law is set out in Prosser, Law of Torts, 3d Ed., p. 796, and cases cited therein, as follows: HENRIOD, J., being disqualified, does not participate.