Can I sue a news company for ruining my good name by releasingnews of my arrest prior to a conviction whichcaused me to lose my job?

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Can I sue a news company for ruining my good name by releasingnews of my arrest prior to a conviction whichcaused me to lose my job?

I was arrested for grand theft but not yet found guilty. However, because of a newscast I lost my job for being “unapproachable” after the newscast was released. Would it be possible or even a smart idea to sue the news company for ruining my good name?

Asked on November 26, 2011 under Personal Injury, Florida

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 12 years ago | Contributor

Unfortunately for you, the media has very broad immunity from being sued for releasing or publishing publically available, newsworthy information. News of your arrest was public information--it could be obtained from public sources--and crime is generally considered newsworthy. It is also generally difficult to recover for defamation if the information is true, and difficult or impossible to recover from anyone for repeating information available from other sources. It is therefore very unlikely you could successfully sue the news company.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

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