Court Opinion

ID: 9632966
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 11:29:43.303521+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:08:25.855243
License: Public Domain

ROVIRA, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
I have no disagreement with the view expressed in the majority opinion that the Court of Appeals should have based its opinion on the entire record rather than on the evidence at the summary judgment stage.
I do disagree that the appropriate disposition of this case is to remand. The record is available to us; the briefs filed in the Court of Appeals can as easily be read by us as them; and we are in an equally favorable position to make an independent evaluation of the record to determine whether the petitioner's evidence was sufficient to persuade a fact finder by clear and convincing proof that the publications were false and the respondents acted with actual malice. New York Times v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 84 S.Ct. 710, 11 L.Ed.2d 686 (1964).
This case has been in the process of litigation for seven years. A final resolution by our court would be in the best interests of the parties and conserve judicial time and resources. For these reasons I dissent from the order of remand.