Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California
Quote in Wrong Article
I am a college student, and I gave a quote to the student newspaper when they interviewed me asking about student government campaign reforms. Instead of using it in the campaign reform article, the newspaper used my quote in an article about my running mate's violation of a policy about campaign emails. Some of my friends state this may be libel since they said the quotes would be used for one article, but were used for a different one instead. Do I have any course of action against the newspaper?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Quote in Wrong Article
Probably not, since it sounds like you were quoted accurately. Unless you were misquoted or taken out of context, the only mistaken impression a reader could get would be that you had agreed to speak to the reporter who wrote the other story. Such an error is unlikely to be actionable.
Your claim also has to overcome the newspaper's First Amendment protections. Since you are running for office you may be considered a public figure for purposes of this dispute. To win a libel case against a newspaper a public figure must show actual malice -- in addition to the showings required for ordinary libel claims.
This type of situation is what letters to the editor are for. Write one and let it go. Suing the school paper seems unlikely to make anyone better off in the end.
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