Chapter 9-9 Invasion of Privacy (False Light)

• Jurisdiction: United States

9-9 Invasion of Privacy (False Light)

9-9:1 Overview

The umbrella of "invasion of privacy" contains four discrete categories of proposed causes of action,⁴⁷ including false light.⁴⁸ In jurisdictions which do acknowledge false light as a tort, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant made false statements which caused publicity that unreasonably portrayed the plaintiff in a false light.⁴⁹

9-9:1.1 Related Causes of Action

Defamation, Libel, Slander

MUST READ CASE

Cain v. Hearst Corp., 878 S.W.2d 577 (Tex. 1994)

9-9:2 Expressly Rejected in Texas

The Supreme Court expressly rejected the common law tort of invasion of privacy by placing the plaintiff in a false light.⁵⁰ The Court held a false light claim duplicated a plaintiff's cause of action for defamation while unduly restricting the defendant's First Amendment protection.⁵¹

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Notes:

^[47] Cain v. Hearst Corp., 878 S.W.2d 577, 578 (Tex. 1994) (citing Restatement (Second) of Torts, § 652E).

^[48] Cain v. Hearst Corp., 878 S.W.2d 577, 578 (Tex. 1994) (citing Restatement (Second) of Torts, § 652E).

^[49] Cain v. Hearst Corp., 878 S.W.2d 577, 580 (Tex. 1994).

^[50] Cain v. Hearst Corp., 878 S.W.2d 577, 579 (Tex. 1994).

^[51] Cain v. Hearst Corp., 878 S.W.2d 577, 579-80 (Tex. 1994).