Jamie Baskin and Jane Webre Win Appeal in the Texas Supreme Court Involving Defamation
SD&M attorneys Jamie Baskin and Jane Webre were successful in an appeal to the Texas Supreme Court that resolved a substantial legal issue regarding defamation. Their client contended that he was defamed professionally when a television station aired a broadcast about him that reported third party statements that were not true. The television station contended that it could not be liable for defamation so long as it accurately reported what the third parties said, and it did not matter whether the third parties’ statements were true or false. The Texas Supreme Court rejected that contention and held that the standard for defamation under Texas law requires not only accurate reporting of the third party statements, but also asks whether the third party statements themselves were true or false. The case is Neely v. Wilson, and the majority opinion can be found here.