Firm Wins First Amendment Victory for New York Times

Fishman Haygood prevailed today in federal district court in a First Amendment case on behalf of the New York Times.

Walter Block had filed suit against the newspaper and two writers, claiming that an article defamed him and placed him in a false light. The article titled “Rand Paul’s Mixed Inheritance” examined Mr. Paul’s political philosophy, and included quotes from Mr. Block, an economics professor at Loyola University in New Orleans.

Mr. Block argued that the article took his quotations out of context and created an impression that he was a racist. In ruling for the newspaper, Eastern District of Louisiana Judge Ivan Lemelle stated “that the references made to Block are not capable of defamatory meaning, nor do they place him in a false light.”

Fishman Haygood attorneys Lori Mince and Alysson Mills represented the newspaper and writers in the dispute.

The case – Block v. New York Times, et al – is currently on appeal to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.