Court Opinion

ID: 9847949
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:10:23.772374+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:50.035532
License: Public Domain

HOWARD, Judge,
specially concurring:
I concur in the result but find it unnecessary to discuss the statute of limitations since the appellants have failed to show any evidence that false statements were made. Their complaint states:
That the news media was led to believe that said markets were violating the law and were selling food items to the public fraudulently which food items were not fit for human consumption.
The record shows that in the enforcement action out of which this suit arose, the appellants admitted that they were selling perishable and semi-perishable food commodities beyond their “pull-dates;” they also admitted commingling outdated food with food which was non-outdated, made no attempt to inform the public that they had done so and in their newspaper advertisement failed to disclose that outdated food was being advertised, commingled and sold with non-outdated food, all of the foregoing being contrary to the rules and regulations of the department of weights and measures. See R4-31-324, Administrative Rules and Regulations.
Appellants never came forward with any evidence as to what statements were made to the press but relied on the cryptic allegations in the complaint. In the face of their admissions in the enforcement action, I do not believe appellants can rely on their complaint.
NOTE: Judge JAMES D. HATHAWAY having requested that he be relieved from consideration of this matter, Superior Court Judge ALICE TRUMAN was called to sit in his stead and participate in the determination of this decision.