Source: https://www.johndaylegal.com/24-7-private-person-vs-public-figure.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 02:29:00+00:00

Document:
The Case: Hibdon v. Grabowski, 195 S.W.3d 48 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005), perm. appeal denied (Mar. 27, 2006).
The Basic Facts: Plaintiff/Appellant owner of jet ski customizing business brought defamation action against defendants alleging libel, civil conspiracy and false light invasion of privacy stemming from statements defendants made about plaintiff, which were published on an Internet news group.
“Tennessee has adopted the standards in § 580A and 580B of the [Restatement (Second) of Torts (1977)], which establish the distinction between defamation as to a public official or public figure and defamation of a private person. Press, Inc. v. Verran, 569 S.W.2d 435, 442 (Tenn. 1978). As to a public figure, one can only be held liable if he or she knows that the statement is false and that it defames another person, or if he or she acts in reckless disregard of such matters. Id. at 442. As to a private person, he or she may be held liable if he or she knows that the statement is false and that it defames the person, or if he or she acts in reckless disregard of these matters, or acts negligently in failing to ascertain them. Id. at 442.” 195 S.W.3d at 58.
· “A public controversy is defined as a real dispute, the outcome of which affects the general public or some identifiable segment of the public in an appreciable way. See Waldbaum v. Fairchild Productions, Inc., 627 F.2d 1287, 1296 (D.C. Cir. 1980). The United States Supreme Court stated that courts may not question the legitimacy of the public’s concern on a particular issue because such an approach would run the danger of the turning the courts into censors of what information is relevant to self-government. Gertz, 418 U.S. at 346; Waldbaum, 627 F.2d at 1297. A vital part of free, wide-open, and robust public debate protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution is deciding what issues should be debated. No arm of the government, including the judiciary, should be able to set society’s agenda for public debate, consequently, the courts look to see what matters were already in dispute prior to the time when the alleged defamatory statements were made. In determining whether there is a public controversy, it is vital to ascertain whether the dispute existed as a public concern prior to the alleged defamatory comments. Id.; Quigley v. Rosenthal, 43 F.Supp.2d 1163, 1176 (D. Col. 1999).” Id. at 59-60.
· “This Court finds that, as a matter of law, the dispute that is the subject of this lawsuit meets the criteria for one involving a public controversy and that, consequently, the trial court did not err in so finding.” Id.
· “Furthermore, the United States Supreme Court has solidified the view that if one, by his own volition, thrusts himself on the passing scene to the extent that he knowingly and consciously wants and needs publicity or public support for his endeavors or activities, he submits himself to public scrutiny, which may justly expose his affairs as they might relate to the activities or endeavors for which he is seeking public approval and deems him a ‘public figure’ for matters relating to those endeavors and activities. See Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., [418 U.S. 323, 345 (1974)]; Ocala Star Banner Co. v. Damron, [401 U.S. 295 (1971)].” Id. at 62.
· “There is no question that Mr. Hibdon injected himself into the public controversy voluntarily by boasting about his jet ski modifications and speeds thereof on rec.sport.jetski. Hibdon had access to and used effective means of communication, both through the news group and through SPLASH Magazine, in order to counteract the Defendant’s statements. Furthermore, as the figure at the center of the controversy, Hibdon’s role was extensive. Upon consideration of the above factors, as a matter of law, we find that the trial court correctly characterized Mr. Hibdon as a ‘public figure.’” Id. at 62.
Other Sources of Note: Ferguson v. Union City Daily Messenger, Inc., 845 S.W.2d 162 (Tenn. 1992) (county purchasing agent held to be a public official); Press, Inc. v. Verran, 569 S.W.2d 435 (Tenn. 1978) (adopting the standards in § 580A and 580B of the Restatement (Second) of Torts (1977) and finding junior social worker at State Department of Human Services to be a public official where social worker had power to remove children from parents’ custody and place in foster home and to lay down conditions for the return of children to parents); Murray v. Lineberry, 69 S.W.3d 560 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001) (police officer held to be a public figure in defamation action); Campbell v. Robinson, 955 S.W.2d 609 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1997), perm. appeal denied (Oct. 6, 2007) (public school teacher is a public official for purposes of defamation action); Tomlinson v. Kelley, 969 S.W.2d 402 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1997) (members of city’s board of commissioners held to be public officials for purposes of defamation action); Trigg v. Lakeway Publishers, Inc., 720 S.W.2d 69 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1986) (spokesman for citizens group held to be a public figure); Moore v. Bailey, 628 S.W.2d 431 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1981) (county environmentalist for State Department of Health held to be a public official); Memphis Pub. Co. v. Nichols, 569 S.W.2d 412 (Tenn. 1978) (adopting ordinary negligence standard for defamation actions brought by private persons against media defendants); Restatement (Second) of Torts § 580 B (1977) (One who publishes a false and defamatory communication concerning a private person, or concerning a public official or public figure in relation to a purely private matter not affecting his conduct, fitness or role in his public capacity, is subject to liability, if, but only if, he (a) knows that the statement is false and that it defames the other, (b) acts in reckless disregard of these matters, or (c) acts negligently in failing to ascertain them); Restatement (Second) of Torts § 580 A (1977) (One who publishes a false and defamatory communication concerning a public official or public figure in regard to his conduct, fitness or role in that capacity is subject to liability, if, but only if, he (a) knows that the statement is false and that it defames the other person, or (b) acts in reckless disregard of these matters).

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