Briscoe v. Reader's Digest Association

483 P. 2d 34, 4 Cal. 3d 529, 93 Cal. Rptr. 866 (1971)

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Briscoe v. Reader’s Digest Association

California Supreme Court
483 P. 2d 34, 4 Cal. 3d 529, 93 Cal. Rptr. 866 (1971)

SC

Facts

Marvin Briscoe (plaintiff) hijacked a truck in 1956. Afterwards, he reformed his life and gave up crime. His daughter and his friends had not known anything about his past life as a criminal. In 1967, Reader’s Digest (defendant) published an article on hijacking that included the fact that Briscoe had hijacked the truck 11 years prior. The disclosure of this fact was new information to many people close to Briscoe. The article included Briscoe’s name, but not that the hijacking had occurred so long ago. Briscoe sued Reader’s Digest for invasion of privacy. The trial court dismissed the suit. Briscoe appealed.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Peters, J.)

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