Opinion ID: 1691619
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: intrusion into physical solitude or seclusion

Text: Johnston alleges that Martin and Fuller's investigation of Brown turned into an investigation of Johnston himself. Further, Johnston alleges that Martin and Fuller attempted to use the information uncovered in the investigation to coerce Johnston into dropping his complaint against Brown. Johnston admits, however, that the investigation consisted solely of interviewing people about their knowledge of Johnston and of Brown. In Phillips v. Smalley Maintenance Services, Inc., 435 So.2d 705 (Ala.1983), this Court adopted the Restatement (Second) of Torts definition of the wrongful-intrusion branch of the invasion-of-privacy tort: One who intentionally intrudes, physically or otherwise, upon the solitude or seclusion of another or his private affairs or concerns, is subject to liability to the other for invasion of his privacy, if the intrusion would be highly offensive to a reasonable person. Restatement (Second) of Torts § 652B (1977). Comment c to § 652B states in part: The defendant is subject to liability under the rule stated in this Section only when he has intruded into a private place, or has otherwise invaded a private seclusion that the plaintiff has thrown about his person or affairs. The wrongful intrusion may be by physical intrusion into a place where the plaintiff has secluded himself, by discovering the plaintiff's private affairs through wiretapping or eavesdropping, or by some investigation into the plaintiff's private concerns, such as opening private mail or examining a private bank account. Restatement (Second) of Torts § 652B cmt. b; see Vernars v. Young, 539 F.2d 966 (3d Cir.1976) (holding that invasion of privacy occurred when mail addressed to plaintiff was opened by defendant without plaintiff's consent); see generally, W. Page Keeton, et al., Prosser and Keeton on the Law of Torts, § 117, at 854-55 (5th ed.1984); 62 Am.Jur.2d Privacy §§ 51-57 (1990). Further, if the means of gathering the information are excessively objectionable and improper, a wrongful intrusion may occur. See Hogin v. Cottingham, 533 So.2d 525 (Ala. 1988) (wrongful intrusion occurs when there has been abrupt, offensive, and objectionable prying into information that is entitled to be private). Johnston did not allege that the defendants entered his home, searched through his private papers, wiretapped his telephone, or eavesdropped on his conversations. Johnston did not allege that the defendants obtained private records concerning his affairs. Johnston failed to present any evidence that Fuller's conduct in gathering the information was abrupt, offensive, and objectionable. Johnston admits that the defendants obtained their knowledge of him through first-hand conversations with him and through voluntary interviews with members of the community in which Johnston lived. In Nader v. General Motors Corp., 25 N.Y.2d 560, 255 N.E.2d 765, 307 N.Y.S.2d 647 (1970), the Court of Appeals of New York dealt with a similar wrongful-intrusion claim arising in part from the defendant's voluntary interviews with acquaintances of the plaintiff. The court stated: [W]e cannot find any basis for a claim of invasion of privacy [based on wrongful intrusion]... in the allegations that the [defendant], through its agents or employees, interviewed many persons who knew the plaintiff, asking questions about him and casting aspersions on his character. Although those inquiries may have uncovered information of a personal nature, it is difficult to see how they may be said to have invaded the plaintiff's privacy. Information about the plaintiff which was already known to others could hardly be regarded as private to the plaintiff. Presumably, the plaintiff had previously revealed the information to such other persons, and he would necessarily assume the risk that a friend or acquaintance in whom he had confided might breach the confidence. If, as alleged, the questions tended to disparage the plaintiff's character, his remedy would seem to be by way of an action for defamation, not for breach of his right to privacy. Nader, 25 N.Y.2d at 568-69, 255 N.E.2d at 770, 307 N.Y.S.2d at 654. Accord Nipper v. Variety Wholesalers, Inc., 638 So.2d 778 (Ala.1994) (interviewing co-employees about their general knowledge of the plaintiff was not actionable). Likewise, Johnston's allegations concern only voluntary interviews in which the defendants learned information already known to others. This information is not protected by the limited scope of the wrongful-intrusion branch of the invasion-of-privacy tort, and we reject Johnston's invitation to create a broad privacy action, with no metes and bounds, that would extend beyond his dwelling, papers, and private records, creating unknown dangers to unsuspecting routine inquirers. [1]