Cain v. Hearst Corporation
Texas Supreme Court
878 S.W.2d 577 (1994)
- Written by Serena Lipski, JD
Facts
Clyde Cain (plaintiff) was in prison for murder. The Hearst Corporation d/b/a the Houston Chronicle Publishing Company (Hearst) (defendant) published an article about Cain alleging that Cain was in the Dixie Mafia and had murdered as many as eight people. Cain, alleging that both assertions were false, sued Hearst in Texas state court for the invasion-of-privacy tort of false light. Hearst removed the action to federal district court and then moved to dismiss, arguing that Cain’s claim was actually a libel claim subject to an expired one-year statute of limitations. The trial court granted the motion, and Cain appealed. The appellate court certified to the Texas Supreme Court the question of whether a cause of action for invasion of privacy by false light was recognized in Texas.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Gonzalez, J.)
Dissent (Hightower, J.)
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