Opinion ID: 3156792
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: “Reckless Disregard as to Truth or Falsity”

Text: In the First Amendment context, “reckless disregard for truth or falsity” evokes the subjective test for civil liability for defamation of a public figure set forth New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964). Under this test, “reckless disregard for truth or falsity” is not “measured by whether a reasonably prudent man would have published, or would have investigated before publishing. There must be sufficient evidence to permit the conclusion that the defendant in fact entertained serious doubts as to the truth of his publication. Publishing with such doubts shows reckless disregard for truth or falsity....” St. Amant v. Thompson, 390 U.S. 727, 731 (1968). The subjective test thus focuses on what the defendant personally knew and thought. The drafters of the model rule from which MLRPC 8.2(a) is derived apparently intended to import this test into the rule. See American Bar Association, Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Proposed Final Draft (May 30, 1981) at 206 (explaining that Model Rule 8.2 is consistent with the New York Times standard). 11 It thus appears that the Commission did not prove what it actually charged in the Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action – a knowing falsehood. It may well be that, in outlining the underlying facts and quoting MLRPC 8.2 in its entirety at the end of the document, the Petition provided adequate notice to the Respondent that the charges against him might be established by proof of a recklessly made falsehood. In any event, Mr. Stanalonis has not excepted on this ground and, in light of our disposition of the case, we need not resolve it. 12 As this Court observed in Frost, however, “[t]here appears to be disagreement among the states as to whether the general defamation standard announced in New York Times, i.e. the subjective test, should apply equally to attorney discipline cases.” 437 Md. at 265 n. 11. The Court noted that a number of courts have preferred to develop an objective test not keyed to the knowledge or understanding of the particular lawyer. Id. A comparison thus might be made to other contexts where courts must apply a standard of “recklessness” or “reckless disregard.” For example, the test for recklessness in the context of reckless endangerment is “whether the [defendant’s] misconduct, viewed objectively, was so reckless as to constitute a gross departure from the standard of conduct that a law-abiding person would observe.” Minor v. State, 326 Md. 436, 443, 605 A.2d 138 (1992). Such a test is akin to gross negligence. In fact, the definition of “gross negligence” sometimes includes the phrase “reckless disregard.” See, e.g., Cooper v. Rodriguez, 443 Md. 680, 686, 118 A.3d 829 (2015) (“Gross negligence has been defined as, among things, ‘an intentional failure to perform a manifest duty in reckless disregard of the consequences as affecting the life or property of another, and also implies a thoughtless disregard of the consequences without the exertion of any effort to avoid them.’”) (quoting Barbre v. Pope, 402 Md. 157, 187, 935 A.2d 699 (2007)); State v. Pagotto, 361 Md. 528, 548, 762 A.2d 97 (2000) (“In order for the accused's conduct to constitute gross negligence, the conduct must manifest a wanton or reckless disregard of human life.”) (internal quotation marks omitted). 13 Finally, even if a court would normally favor an objective test in assessing the “reckless disregard” prong of MLRPC 8.2(a), there is a significant argument that a subjective test should be applied in an election context, in light of the “core” First Amendment values at stake. See In re Charges of Unprofessional Conduct Involving File No. 17139, 720 N.W. 2d 807, 813-15 (2006) (raising, but not resolving, the question whether the Minnesota Supreme Court would apply a subjective test in evaluating an alleged 8.2(a) violation in an election context, even though that court applies an objective test in other contexts). In Frost, this Court expressly did not resolve whether the test for “reckless disregard” in applying MLRPC 8.2(a) should be a subjective one or an objective one. 437 Md. at 265 n. 11. We need not resolve that question for purposes of deciding this case either, as our resolution is the same under either standard. 4. Whether There is Clear and Convincing Evidence of Reckless Disregard The question that we must resolve is whether there is clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Stanalonis made a statement concerning Judge Densford’s views about sex offender registries with reckless disregard as to the truth or falsity of that statement. In testimony that the hearing judge found credible, Mr. Stanalonis stated that he was familiar with Judge Densford as a criminal defense attorney and with his efforts to keep his clients off the sex offender registry. The hearing judge found that, in reliance on conversations, and interactions with other prosecutors, Mr. Stanalonis “determined [Judge] Densford opposed the registry,” although she also found that his determination proved to be incorrect. 14 Perhaps the Stanalonis campaign flyer could have been more precise in its description of his understanding of Judge Densford’s position and the source of that understanding. For example, according to Judge Densford’s testimony in this proceeding, a sentence that read “While in private practice and representing clients, attorney David Densford opposed placing his clients on the sex offender registry,” would have been more accurate than, “Opposes registration of convicted sexual predators.” But Mr. Stanalonis was speaking in the context of an election campaign, and MLRPC 8.2(a) does not require absolute precision in the expression of political speech as part of an election campaign. Mr. Stanalonis apparently drew an incorrect inference from his conversations with Judge Densford that Judge Densford opposed the registration of convicted sex offenders generally but, as the hearing judge found, there was a “demonstrable basis” for making this inference. In short, whatever Judge Densford’s true feelings, Mr. Stanalonis appears to have actually believed that Judge Densford opposed the registry according to his testimony (which the hearing judge generally credited). There is no evidence that Mr. Stanalonis “entertained serious doubts as to the truth of his” statement, see St. Amant, 390 U.S. at 731. Thus, the statement in the campaign flyer would not satisfy the subjective test for “reckless disregard” as to truth or falsity. Given the testimony of both Mr. Stanalonis and Judge Densford concerning their discussions of the sex offender registry, the hearing judge’s finding that Mr. Stanalonis had a “demonstrable basis for believing” that Judge Densford opposed the 15 sex offender registry finding was not clearly erroneous.12 In light of that demonstrable basis, we cannot say that there is clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Stanalonis’ belief was a “gross departure” from the understanding that a reasonably prudent lawyer in his position would have.13 It is not a gross deviation from the behavior of a reasonable attorney to make a statement that one has a demonstrable basis for believing, even if that belief turns out to be incorrect. In sum, there is not clear and convincing evidence that the statement in the campaign flyer was made with reckless disregard for the truth or falsity of the statement, regardless of whether a subjective or objective test is applied. Accordingly, we conclude that a violation of MLRPC 8.2(a) has not been proven.