Court Opinion

ID: 9459933
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 21:35:48.751034+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:36:24.081294
License: Public Domain

AINSWORTH, Circuit Judge
(dissenting) :
Both plaintiff and defendant moved the court for summary judgment contending that there was no genuine issue of material fact and that judgment as a matter of law was required. The district judge, however, sustained defendant’s motion for summary judgment and held that the Dun & Bradstreet report was conditionally privileged on the basis of Ga.Code Ann. § 105-709, and that the uncontroverted evidence showed the credit statement which pertained to plaintiff was published without malice and was properly issued to eleven subscribers of defendant. The court found that the evidence was insufficient to raise a jury question.
I am in agreement with the reasons expressed by the district judge in his detailed order granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment. I also agree with the district court that the ancient Georgia cases of Johnson v. The Bradstreet Co., 77 Ga. 172 (1886) and Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Prit-chett, 108 Ga. 411, 34 S.E. 216 (1899), rendered 87 and 74 years ago, are based upon odd reasoning, are distinguishable on their facts, and should not be followed. We are not bound under Erie R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 58 S.Ct. 817, 82 L.Ed. 1188 (1938), to give blind allegiance to these decisions. See Shelp v. National Surety Corporation, 5 Cir., 1964, 333 F.2d 431; Union Bank & Trust Co. of Mt. Holley, N. J. v. First Nat. Bank, 5 Cir., 1966, 362 F.2d 311. See also Peacock v. Retail Credit Company, 5 Cir., 1970, 429 F.2d 31.
The majority concedes that practically all of the states of this country afford a conditional privilege to credit reports published in limited fashion to subscribers. Only Georgia and Idaho are said to be to the contrary. I am unpersuaded by the majority opinion that the reasons which underlie the decisions of the many states which grant a conditional privilege to credit reports are insupportable or that contemporary notions no longer favor the privilege.
Since I believe the district court’s decision should be affirmed, I respectfully dissent.
ON PETITION FOR REHEARING AND PETITION FOR REHEARING EN BANC
Before GOLDBERG, AINSWORTH and INGRAHAM, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
The Petition for Rehearing is denied and no member of this panel nor Judge in regular active service on the Court having requested that the Court be polled on rehearing en banc, (Rule 35 Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure; Local Fifth Circuit Rule 12) the Petition for Rehearing En Banc is denied.