James W. Fitzgerald v. Penthouse International, Ltd. Meredith Printing Corporation Meredith Corporation Bob Guccione and Steve Chapple

How courts have described this case

Verbatim parenthetical descriptions written by other courts when citing this decision. Ranked by citation-network relevance.

• listing that “the plaintiff retained public-figure status at the time of the alleged defamation” as the fifth factor in determining limited-purpose public figure status
• looking to the controversy as it existed before the defamatory statements
• applying the actual malice or recklessness standard required for public figures
• promotional efforts for public venture through which plaintiff seeks pecuniary gain can be attempt to influence controversy
• Fourth Circuit cites the fact that the national press had covered the military application of trained dolphins as evidence of a public controversy
• there is no recovery from a media defendant for the false light invasion of privacy absent a showing of malice

Source: CourtListener parenthetical corpus (CC0).