Harris

Harris v. Tomczak

Good Law

8 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 2145·94 F.R.D. 687·1982 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13476

United States District Court, Eastern District of CaliforniaJuly 12, 1982Civ. No. S-80-206 LKKCalifornia14,172 words

Opinion

lead Opinion

Karlton, J.

OPINION AND ORDER

Plaintiffs, Dr. Thomas Harris and his wife Amy Harris, authors of “I’m Okay— You’re Okay,” brought this defamation action seeking damages from defendant Tomczak and others. The defendants have brought on a variety of motions. This published opinion will be restricted to considering defendant Tomczak’s motion for partial summary judgment requesting that this court find that the plaintiffs are “public figures.” 1 The effect of such a holding, of course, would be to require plaintiffs to prove “constitutional malice” in order to prevail. Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts, 388 U.S. 130 , 87 S.Ct. 1975 , 18 L.Ed.2d 1094 (1967). 2

I

CHOICE OF LAW

Plaintiffs have brought this action predicating jurisdiction upon diversity of citizenship, 28 U.S.C. § 1332 . Accordingly, this court must apply the California law of defamation. Erie RR v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64 , 58 S.Ct. 817 , 82 L.Ed. 1188 (1938). Nonetheless, by virtue of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 , 84 S.Ct. 710 , 11 L.Ed.2d 686 (1964), and its progeny “[t]he time is long since past when cases such as this could be treated independent of First Amendment standards.” Lewis v. Time, Inc., 83 F.R.D. 455 ,…

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Parties

Thomas A. HARRIS, M.D. and Amy Harris
Plaintiff
Larry TOMCZAK, etc.
Defendant

Judges

Karlton

Cites (75)

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