WPC# X# UN %9 0 N? 0bv~N w@ F 4N b q ms 0D 0J 0T 0^l 0h 0r2 0| 0 0 1u6 0d AQ` 0D& 0@j 0D D/ B D3:U>mB)DC AMU*dJ{P_v~v Bi#HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLh'"  Z 6Times New Roman Regular(&y$   ((2|$ y!     XX~X `   0  - -Tomlinson v. Kelley (Berry Hill) Opinion %& ' IB011C20IB011C2 .    DLeӀ_#-l\3|x U(#$  0  2 0Indent123  2" 0Indent20 23  2, 0Indent30 0 23  26 0Indent40 0 0 23  2@ 0Indent50 0 0 0 23  2J 0Indent60 0 0 0 0 23  2T 0Indent70 0 0 0 0 0 23  2^ 0Indent80 0 0 0 0 0 0 23   ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P 8Mac DefaultMac Default ` X!"#$&C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3$ !  ("$    ($$   1  ((' dxdP PdWWWW'dxd<  9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d11117Border 1dd!#2C << G<  9p`(Arial @ !  #d#00   ""  44   YYY FILED4XNovember7,1997CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerk    !#d#00   $   X 0X       _TheelectioninBerryHilltookplacefivedaysafterTheTennesseanstory,andMr.KelleydefeatedMr._Tomlinson_Ԁbyfourteenvotes.  !#d#00   $   X 0X       _Determiningwhetherapersonisapublicfigureisaquestionoflaw.SeeFergusonv.UnionCityDailyMessenger,Inc.,845S.W.2d162,166(Tenn.1992).Anygovernmentalofficialwhosedutiesaffectthelivesorpeaceandtranquilityofcitizensortheirfamiliesisapublicfigure.SeePress,Inc.v._Verran_,569S.W.2d435,441(Tenn.1978).ThemembersofBerryHillsBoardofCommissionersareclearlypublicfigures.  !#d#00   $   X 0X       _See_McCluen_Ԁv._Roane_ԀCountyTimes,Inc.,936S.W.2d936,939(Tenn.Ct.App.1996);_Trigg_Ԁv._Lakeway_ԀPublishers,Inc.,720S.W.2dat75.  !#d#00   $   X 0X       _ThenewsletterstatedthatMr.McPhersonsappointmenttotheBoardwasannouncedonJuly11,1995;whiletheBoardsminutesreflectedthathewasactuallyappointedonAugust14,1995.PtPtHH(FG(HH(d'`Styl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   ion-F Geneva  ion-F Geneva  d ! . 00   _        \RA'\  \RA'\7ւdd7    ћ @ 0 INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE@ MIDDLESECTIONATNASHVILLE̜!R352A1-j|_`  `@Rߛ0 JAMESC._TOMLINSON_Ԁand  )CHARLESF._McKELVEY_,  )      ) Plaintiffs/Appellants,  )      ) DavidsonCircuit      ) No.96C865VS.      )      ) AppealNo.      ) 01A019608CV00378EDNAJ.KELLEYand   )JEANETTEM.COKE,   )      ) Defendants/Appellees.  )@ APPEALFROMTHECIRCUITCOURTFORDAVIDSONCOUNTY@ ATNASHVILLE,TENNESSEE@ THEHONORABLEBARBARAN.HAYNES,JUDGEForthePlaintiffs/Appellants:    FortheDefendants/Appellees:JimmyA.Duncan      LawrenceD.WilsonNashville,Tennessee     Nashville,Tennessee        G.KlinePreston,IV        Nashville,Tennessee@ 0 AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED 0       WILLIAMC.KOCH,JR.,JUDGE   X 0@ OPINION 0 Thisappealinvolvesacontroversysurroundingtheappointmentofalocalcityofficial.ThemayorandthecitymanageroftheCityofBerryHillfiledadefamationactionintheCircuitCourtforDavidsonCountyagainsttwocityresidentswhopubliclyquestionedthecircumstancessurroundingtheinterimappointmentofamemberoftheBoardofCommissioners.Thetrialcourtgrantedtheresidentsmotionforsummaryjudgmentanddismissedthecityofficialscomplaint.Onthisappeal,thecityofficialsassertthatthetrialcourtshouldnothavegrantedthesummaryjudgmentbecausetherecordcontainsevidencethattheresidentskneworshouldhaveknownthattheircriticalstatementsmadetoalocalnewspaperwerefalse.Weaffirmthetrialcourt.@ I.  TheseedsofthisdisputeweresownduringthecampaignforaseatontheCityofBerryHillBoardofCommissionersbetweenJamesC._Tomlinson_,theincumbentmayorwhohadservedontheBoardforfourteenyears,andCliffKelley.SeveralmonthspriortotheMarch12,1996election,EdnaKelley,thechallengersmother,andJeanetteCokereceivedanewsletterdatedAugust1,1995,signedbytheBoardmembers,containinginformationstatingthattheBoardhadfilledtwovacantcityoffices.ThenewsletterreportedthatCharlesF._McKelvey_ԀhadresignedasBerryHillsmayoronJuly10,1995,andthattheBoardhadhiredhimascitymanageroneweeklater.ItalsoreportedthatonJuly10,1995theBoardhadappointed_Tolby_ԀMcPhersonasMr._McKelvey_sinterimsuccessorandthatMr.McPhersonwouldbeacandidatefortheBoardduringtheMarch1996election. Theinformationinthenewslettercaughttheattentionof_Mses_.KelleyandCokebecausetheywereundertheimpressionthatMr.McPhersonhadnotbeenappointeduntilAugust14,1995,andthatBerryHillhada norehirepolicythatshouldhavepreventedthecityfromhiringMr._McKelvey_Ԁascitymanager.WhenMses.KelleyandCokeconfrontedMr._McKelvey_Ԁaboutthe norehirepolicy,Mr._McKelvey_Ԁinformedthemthatthepolicydidnotapplytohim. _Mses_.KelleyandCokedecidedtolookintotheseissuesfurther,andonFebruary12,1996,theywenttocityhalltoobtainacopyoftheminutesoftheBoardsJuly10,1995meeting.TheminutestheyexaminedatthattimecontainednoreferenceeithertoMr._McKelvey_sresignationortoMr.McPhersonsselectionashisinterimsuccessor.Whenaskedabouttheseomissions,Mr._McKelvey_ԀexplainedthathehadresignedaftertheJuly10,1995meetingended._Mses_.KelleyandCokerequestedacopyoftheminutesoftheJuly10,1995meetingandweretoldthatacopywouldbemadeforthem. _Mses_.KelleyandCokecontinuedtheirquestforadditionalinformationbecausetheywereconvincedthattheyhadnotbeentoldthewholestory.AtaBoardmeetinglateronFebruary12,1996,thecityattorneydismissedtheirconcernsbyobservingthatthenewsletterwasnotanofficialdocument.TheyalsotalkedwithBerryHillsformermayorwhotoldthemthatthecurrentmayorhadtoldhimthattheBoardhadheldanunpublicizedmeetinginitsattorneysofficetodiscussMr._McKelvey_sresignationandMr.McPhersonsappointment. _Mses_.KelleyandCokeweredeniedcopiesoftheminutesoftheJuly10,1995meetingwhentheyreturnedtocityhallonFebruary19,1996.Whentheyreexaminedtheminutes,theydiscoveredthattheminuteshadbeenchangedtoreflectMr._McKelvey_sresignation.Thisdiscoverypromptedthemtoexclaiminthepresenceofseveralcityemployeesthat he[Mr._McKelvey_]changedtheminutesandheldasecretmeeting.Wevegothimnow,butwevegotnoproof.WhentheyquestionedMr._McKelvey_Ԁagain,hewarnedthemthattheycouldgetintotroubleformakingsuchclaims.Othercityemployeesalsoinformedthemthattheyhadalreadycausedenoughtrouble._Mses_.KelleyandCokelatertoldareporterforTheTennesseanthattheminutesoftheBoardsJuly10,1995meetinghadbeenchangedandthatMr._TomlinsonhadheldanunpublicizedmeetingconcerningMr.McPhersonsinterimappointment.  d  OnMarch7,1996,TheTennesseanranastoryheadlined BerryHillelectionheatsupwithameetingcontroversycontainingassertionsby_Mses_.KelleyandCokethatMr._Tomlinson_ԀhadconductedasecretmeetingtodiscussMr.McPhersonsappointmentandthatsomeonehadchangedtheminutesoftheBoardsJuly10,1995meeting.Mr._Tomlinson_ԀacknowledgedinthestorythattherehadbeenameetingbeforeMr.McPhersonsformalappointment,buthedeniedthatthemeetingviolatedtheSunshineLaw._ 6   _ԀThestoryalsoquotedMr.McKelveysdenialthathehadchangedtheminutesoftheJuly10,1995meeting. Messrs._McKelvey_Ԁand_Tomlinson_Ԁfiledadefamationactionagainst_Mses_.KelleyandCokethedayafterTheTennesseanarticleappeared.Theyallegedthat_Mses_.KelleyandCokehad deliberatelyandintentionallypublishedfalseanddefamatoryallegationsaboutthemwithregardtoalteringtheminutesoftheBoardsJuly10,1995meetingandtoholdingasecretmeetingtoappointMr.McPhersontoreplaceMr._McKelvey_ԀontheBoard._Mses_.KelleyandCokefiledamotionforsummaryjudgmentasserting(1)thattheircommentswereprotectedspeech,(2)thattheyhadnotactedmaliciously,and(3)thattheircommentswerenotdefamatory.OnJune18,1996,thetrialcourtfiledanordergrantingthesummaryjudgmentanddismissingallclaimsagainst_Mses_.KelleyandCoke.@ II.  Theoutcomeofthisappealhingesonasingleissue.SincetherecanbenorealdisputeaboutMessrs._Tomlinson_sand_McKelvey_sstatusaspublicfigures,_ 7   _thecontrollingquestioniswhetherMessrs._Tomlinson_Ԁand_McKelvey_Ԁhavecomeforwardwithclearandconvincingproofthat_Mses_.KelleyandCokeactedwithactualmalicewhentheytoldthereporterforTheTennesseanthatMr._Tomlinson_hadheldasecretmeetingtodiscussMr.McPhersonsappointmentasMr._McKelvey_ssuccessoror    whentheystatedthattheminutesoftheBoardsJuly10,1995meetinghadbeenaltered.Likethetrialcourt,wehaveconcludedthatMessrs._Tomlinson_Ԁand_McKelvey_Ԁhavenotcarriedtheirburden.@ A.  Thestandardsforreviewingadecisiongrantingasummaryjudgmentarenowwellknown.AppellatecourtsreviewtherecordtodeterminewhethertherequirementsofTenn.R.Civ.P.56havebeenmet.See_Hembree_Ԁv.State,925S.W.2d513,515(Tenn.1996);Paynev._Breuer,891S.W.2d200,201(Tenn.1994).Theserequirements,asreflectedinTenn.R.Civ.P.56.03,arefirstthattherecordcannotcontainanygenuinefactualdisputeconcerningtheclaimordefenseassertedinthemotion,seeWyattv.ABestCo.,910S.W.2d851,854(Tenn.1995);Byrdv.Hall,847S.W.2d208,210(Tenn.1993),andsecondthatthemovingpartybeentitledtoajudgmentasamatteroflaw.SeeAndersonv.StandardRegisterCo.,857S.W.2d555,559(Tenn.1993). Decisionsgrantingasummaryjudgmentarenotentitledtoapresumptionofcorrectnessonappeal.See_Bain_Ԁv.Wells,936S.W.2d618,622(Tenn.1997);_Carvell_Ԁv.Bottoms,900S.W.2d23,26(Tenn.1995).Appellatecourtsmustviewtheevidenceinthelightmostfavorabletothenonmovingparty,seeHaynesv.HamiltonCounty,883S.W.2d606,613(Tenn.1994),andmustdrawallreasonableinferencesinthenonmovingpartysfavor.SeeMikev.PoGroup,Inc.,937S.W.2d790,792(Tenn.1996);_Pittman_Ԁv.UpjohnCo.,890S.W.2d425,428(Tenn.1994).Asummaryjudgmentshouldbeaffirmedonlyiftheundisputedfactsandtheconclusionsreasonablydrawntherefromsupporttheconclusionthatthemovingpartyisentitledtoajudgmentasamatteroflaw.SeeMcCallv.Wilder,913S.W.2d150,153(Tenn.1995);_Carvell_Ԁv.Bottoms,900S.W.2dat26. Summaryjudgmentsareproperinvirtuallyanycivilcasethatcanberesolvedonlegalissuesalone.SeeByrdv.Hall,847S.W.2dat210.Theyareparticularlywellsuitedfordefamationcasesbecausethedeterminationconcerningwhethertheplaintiffisapublicfigureisaquestionoflaw,see_McDowell_Ԁv.Moore,863S.W.2d418,420(Tenn.Ct.App.1992),asisthedeterminationconcerningwhetherapublicfigurehascomeforwardwithclearandconvincingevidencethatthedefendantwasactingwithactualmalice.See_Trigg_Ԁv._Lakeway_ԀPublishers,Inc.,720S.W.2d69,74(Tenn.Ct.App.1986).@ B.  Publicfigureswhodesiretopursuedefamationactionsbearaheavyburdenofproofbecauseofoursocietyscommitmenttotheprinciplethat debateonpublicissuesshouldbeuninhibited,robust,andwideopen.NewYorkTimesCo.v.Sullivan,376U.S.254,270,84S.Ct.710,721(1964).Inordertorecoverdamages,theymustprovewithconvincingclarity_ 8   _Ԁthatthedefendantactedwithactualmalice.SeePress,Inc.v._Verran_,569S.W.2d435,441(Tenn.1978);Moorev.Bailey,628S.W.2d431,433(Tenn.Ct.App.1981). Theconceptofactualmaliceindefamationcasesconnotesmorethanpersonalillwill,hatred,spite,ordesiretoinjure.SeeMassonv.NewYorkerMagazine,Inc.,501U.S.496,510,111S.Ct.2419,2429(1991);_McCluen_Ԁv._Roane_ԀCountyTimes,Inc.,936S.W.2dat939;Windsorv.Tennessean,654S.W.2d680,688(Tenn.Ct.App.1983).Rather,itislimitedtostatementsmadewithknowledgethattheyarefalseorwithrecklessdisregardtotheirtruthorfalsity.SeePress,Inc.v._Verran_,569S.W.2dat441;Cloydv.Press,Inc.,629S.W.2d24,27(Tenn.Ct.App.1981);Restatement(Second)ofTorts580A(1977).Determiningwhetheradefendantactedwithrecklessdisregardrequiresthefinderoffacttodeterminewhetherthedefendant infactentertainedseriousdoubtsastothetruthofhis[orher]publication._Trigg_Ԁv._Lakeway_ԀPublishers,Inc.,720S.W.2dat75(quotingSt._Amant_Ԁv.Thompson,390U.S.727,731,88S.Ct.1323,1325(1968)).@ C.  Eventhough_Mses_.KelleysandCokesaccusationsweremadeduringapoliticalcampaign,Messrs._Tomlinson_Ԁand_McKelvey_Ԁhavefailedtocomeforwardwithclearandconvincingevidencethat_Mses_.KelleyandCokeknewthattheirstatementswerefalseorthattheyentertainedseriousdoubtsthattheirstatementsweretrue.TakeninthelightmostfavorabletoMessrs._Tomlinson_and_McKelvey_,theevidencebothinsupportofandinoppositiontothesummaryjudgmentmotiondemonstratesthat_Mses_.KelleyandCokebelievedthattheirstatementsweretruebutwerefrustratedbecausetheybelievedthatthedocumentaryevidenceprovingtheirchargeshaddisappeared. Bythetime_Mses_.KelleyandCokespoketothereporterforTheTennessean,theyhadreasonablegroundstobelievethattheincumbentcityofficialshadnotbeencompletelycandidaboutthecircumstancessurroundingMr.McPhersonsappointment.TheyhaddiscoveredadiscrepancybetweentheBoardsAugust1,1995newsletteranditsminutesconcerningthedateofMr.McPhersonsappointment. 9   ׀TheyhadalsoexaminedaversionoftheminutesoftheBoardsJuly10,1995meetingwhichmadenomentionofeitherMr._McKelvey_sresignationfromtheBoardorMr.McPhersonsappointmenttotakehisplace. When_Mses_.KelleyandCokequestionedthecityofficialsabouttheseissues,Mr._McKelvey_,Mr._Tomlinson_,andthecityattorneydismissedtheirconcerns,andMr._McKelvey_ԀevenwarnedMs.Cokethat youbetterwatchwhatyouresaying,youregoingtobeinbigtrouble.Thereafter,thecityemployeesrefusedtocooperatewith_Mses_.KelleyandCokeanddeclinedtoprovidethemwithcopiesofthepublicrecordstheyhadbeenpromisedearlier.Despitethelackofofficialcooperation,_Mses_.KelleyandCokelaterdiscoveredthattheminutesoftheBoardsJuly10,1995meetinghadbeenchangedandthatMr._Tomlinson_ԀhadtoldBerryHillsformermayorthattheBoardhadheldaspecial,unpublicizedmeetinginthecityattorneysofficetodiscussMr.McPhersonsappointment. Allthesecircumstancesindicatethat_Mses_.KelleyandCokehadgroundstobelievethattheirstatementsconcerningtheunpublicizedmeetingandthealterationoftheBoardsminutesweretrue.TheywereclearlyfrustratedbecausetheyhadbeenunabletoobtaintheversionoftheminutestheyhadoriginallyreadonFebruary12,1996,buttheirstatementthat wevegothimnow,butwevegotnoproofisnotevidenceofactualmalice.Citizensarenotrequiredtohavedocumentaryproofinordertocriticizeelectedofficials.Accordingly,weconcurwiththetrialcourtsconclusionthatMessrs._Tomlinson_and_McKelvey_Ԁfailedtodemonstratebyclearandconvincingevidencethat_Mses_.KelleyandCokewereactingwithactualmalicewhentheyinformedthereporterforThe_Tennessean_ofthediscrepancyconcerningMr.McPhersonsappointmentandthelateralterationoftheBoardsminutes.@ III.  Weaffirmthesummaryjudgmentdismissingthecomplaintandremandthecasetothetrialcourtforwhateveradditionalproceedingsmayberequired.Wealsotaxthecostsofthisappeal,jointlyandseverally,toJamesC._Tomlinson_ԀandCharlesF._McKelvey_Ԁandtheirsuretyforwhichexecution,ifnecessary,mayissue.       ____________________________       WILLIAMC.KOCH,JR.,JUDGECONCUR:___________________________________HENRYF.TODD,_PRESIDINGJUDGEMIDDLESECTION___________________________________SAMUELL.LEWIS,JUDGE