Opening Statement
I represent Plaintiff Sarah Celeb and her lawsuit against Star Weekly. I request the court acknowledge that the conflict between Sarah Celeb and the magazine Star Weekly that published information from her diary stolen without her permission violates Plaintiff’s privacy rights by posting the information from her journal without her consent. Defendant Star Weekly is liable for publishing personal information about the unsuccessful plastic surgery and dreams about a comeback to television corresponding to the first Amendment. Therefore, Plaintiff articulates accusations in the false light of the invasion of privacy and intrusion upon seclusion.
Arguments
Defendant Star Weekly violated reasonable expectations of privacy that Sarah Celeb had. The magazine placed Plaintiff deliberately in a false light because it took only specific passages from the personal diary without referring to the context surrounding these issues. Even though the journal features this information, disclosing it publicly without Plaintiff’s permission is highly offensive. The publication of the old photo of the Plaintiff that shows that her face looked different before the plastic surgery causes actual damage to the reputation of Sarah Celeb.
Defendant did not have formal consent Plaintiff to read her diary and to publish anything from it. The newsworthiness of the material taken from the personal journal is a pretense because it disregards the fact that there was no invitation from Sarah Celeb. The woman did not want to disclose the facts she wrote in her diary. Therefore, the information was factual but false and highly offensive to Plaintiff.
Counter Arguments/Rebuttal
The Defense may insist that the information was newsworthy according to the 1st Amendment, and that they did not plan actual malice with their actions. Though, it is evident that Star Weekly did not ask for the permission of Sarah Celeb for the publication. Defendant used the stolen private information, which violated Plaintiff’s rights.
Closing Statement
Therefore, it is impossible to state that it is possible to apply the newsworthiness defense to the case of Sarah Celeb. Defendant Star Weekly’s Defense is based on the false assumption that they could publish Plaintiff’s personal information, humiliating her in public.