Opinion ID: 2381387
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: did the trial court err in failing to address the viability of movant's invasion of privacy claim?

Text: The trial court failed to address movant's tort-based invasion of privacy claim when it granted respondents' motion for summary judgment. The Court of Appeals found there was no actionable defamation in any form, thus if the trial court erred by not specifically ruling on the tort claim, it was harmless error at worst. We disagree. Movant contends that the publication at issue placed him before the public in a false light. Our Court recognized this cause of action within the tort of invasion of privacy in McCall v. Courier-Journal and Louisville Times Company, Ky., 623 S.W.2d 882, 887-88 (1981). Therein we specifically rejected the Court of Appeals' position that if a publication deals with a matter of public interest or concern, it is not subject to the tort of invasion of privacy. Id. at 888. Nevertheless, we did hold that where material concerning a private individual was also of public interest, [r]ecovery in such a situation was limited to those false publications which were made upon a showing of knowledge of the falsity of the statements or a reckless disregard as to the truth. Id. By our analysis of United States Supreme Court precedent in McCall , we felt compelled to adopt the actual malice standard in false light invasion of privacy cases involving private individuals and public issues. See Time, Inc. v. Hill, 385 U.S. 374, 87 S.Ct. 534, 17 L.Ed.2d 456 (1967); but see Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323, 94 S.Ct. 2997, 41 L.Ed.2d 789 (1974), D. Elder, super, § 3.09 at 457-59. Although we expressed a preference for simple negligence as the standard of fault in such cases, McCall, 623 S.W.2d at 888, we are not prepared to overrule McCall on the basis of speculation about the high court's parting ways with established precedent. [4] Therefore, to prevail on his invasion of privacy claim, Yancey will have to prove respondents either knew of or acted in reckless disregard as to the falsity of the publicized matter and the false light in which movant was placed. The actual malice standard will apply regardless of Yancey's status as a private individual or a public figure. Nevertheless, the applicability of this higher fault standard does not necessarily foreclose movant's success at trial, and he will have the opportunity to pursue his false light claim when this case is returned to the trial court.