Goldman

Appellants Hebrew Academy of San Francisco and Rabbi Pinchas Lipner (founder and dean of the Hebrew Academy) appeal from the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of respondents Richard N. Goldman, The Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties (Federation), and the San Francisco Jewish Community Endowment Fund (Endowment Fund). The trial court granted summary judgment for respondents, determining that appellants' defamation action was barred by the one-year limitations period applicable to causes of action for libel or slander under then Code of Civil Procedure section 340, subdivision (3). [1]

The questions presented are (1) whether communication of the alleged defamation is subject to the single-publication rule and, if not, (2) whether appellants' cause of action for defamation should be tolled under the doctrine of delayed discovery, because the alleged libel was hidden or beyond what the ordinary person could be expected to immediately detect or comprehend.

Answering no to the first question and yes to the second, we shall reverse the judgment.

In 1990, in order to document Jewish philanthropy in the San…