Arthur Stanley Kerns v. Charles McWilliams the Mobile Press Register, Inc., and the United Press International, Inc.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Arthur Stanley Kerns v. Charles McWilliams the Mobile Press Register, Inc., and the United Press International, Inc., 435 F.2d 1306 (5th Cir. 1971)
1971 U.S. App. LEXIS 12357
Bell, Dyer, Per Curiam, Roney

Arthur Stanley Kerns v. Charles McWilliams the Mobile Press Register, Inc., and the United Press International, Inc.

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Charles McWilliams, The Mobile Press Register, Inc. and the United Press International, Inc., defendants in this libel suit, were granted leave to take an interlocutory appeal pursuant to 28 U.S.C.A. § 1292(b) from an order of the District Court denying their motions for summary judgment.

After considering the briefs and oral arguments we conclude that the order allowing the interlocutory appeal was improvidently granted. Spurlin v. General Motors Corp., 5 Cir. 1970, 426 F.2d 294.

Accordingly, the order heretofore allowing the interlocutory appeal is vacated and the case is remanded for trial on the issues of actual malice defamation and possible damages in accordance with the standards of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 1964, 376 U.S. 254, 84 S.Ct. *1307 710, 11 L.Ed.2d 686 even, though the appellees are not public officials, since they were engaged in a matter of public interest and concern. Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts, 1967, 388 U.S. 130, 152-155, 87 S..Ct. 1975, 18 L.Ed.2d 1094; Time, Inc. v. Ragano, 5 Cir. 1970, 427 F.2d 219; Bon Air Hotel, Inc. v. Time, Inc., 5 Cir. 1970, 426 F.2d 858; Wasserman v. Time, Inc., 1970, 138 U.S.App.D.C. 7, 424 F.2d 920; Time, Inc. v. McLaney, 5 Cir. 1969, 406 F.2d 565, cert. denied, 395 U.S. 922, 89 S.Ct. 1776, 23 L.Ed.2d 239.

Vacated and remanded.

Reference

Full Case Name
Arthur Stanley KERNS Et Al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. Charles McWILLIAMS, the Mobile Press Register, Inc., and the United Press International, Inc., Defendants-Appellants
Status
Published