Latest Case: Anderson v. WBNS-TV, Inc. (Personal Injury)

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Anderson v. WBNS-TV, Inc.

Citation: 2019-Ohio-5196

Opinion Date: December 18, 2019

Judge: Donnelly

Areas of Law: Personal Injury

The Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the court of appeals reversing the judgment of the trial court granting summary judgment in favor of WBNS-TV, Inc. and dismissing Plaintiffs' defamation claim, holding that the court of appeals applied an incorrect standard in determining whether the fault element of the defamation claim had been met. The Columbus Police Department sent an information sheet to WBNS describing the robbery of a hoverboard from an eight-year-old. A photograph accompanying the information sheet depicted three siblings as potential suspects. The police department later released a statement that the people in the photograph had not been involved in the robbery. The siblings and their mother filed a complaint against WBNS alleging defamation. The trial court granted summary judgment for WBNS, concluding that Plaintiffs could not prove an essential element - fault - of their defamation claim. The court of appeals reversed. The Supreme Court vacated the court of appeals' judgment and remanded the cause to the court of appeals, holding (1) the standard set forth in Landsdowne v. Beacon Journal Publishing Co., 512 N.E.2d 979 (Ohio 1987), was the appropriate standard to apply in this case; and (2) the court of appeals erred by not applying this standard.