Invasion of Privacy
Whether you are a famous public figure or a private person who has never received public attention, under most circumstances you have a legally-protected right to privacy and a right to be free from defamation.
The idea of a legally-protected right to privacy originated in the United States toward the end of the 19th Century. Over more than one hundred years of privacy cases and controversies involving public figures as well as private persons, the right to privacy has evolved and taken shape.
Today, the law protects one's right to be left alone and is generally considered to include four separate expressions of privacy rights:
- The appropriation of one's identity for the benefit of another (also known as misappropriation)
- Placing one in a false light in the public eye
- Publicly disclosing private facts about a person
- Unreasonably intruding upon the seclusion of a person
A classic example of an invasion of privacy by misappropriation might include a defendant using a celebrity's name or likeness to promote a product without consent or authorization. Closely related to privacy rights is the law of defamation, which is a false statement, conveyed as fact, portraying a person or thing in a negative manner. It includes printed (libel) or spoken (slander) communications.
Our firm has distinguished itself handling high stakes damages claims involving invasion of privacy cases as well as defamation against some of the largest media entities in the world. We have successfully represented numerous plaintiffs in invasion of privacy cases in California State Courts up through the Supreme Court. We won the precedent-setting invasion of privacy case M.G. v. Time Warner, Inc. 89 Cal. App. 4th 623 (2001), successfully establishing a private person's right to be free from non-consensual public identification in connection with embarrassing or offensive newsworthy subject matter. Although there are important legal distinctions in the law between public and private figures, potentially anyone can have a viable claim for invasion of privacy or defamation including, among others:
- Actors and actresses
- Singers
- Professional athletes
- Television personalities
- Reality TV stars
- Authors
- Politicians
- Private persons including adults and children
If you believe you may have been subjected to an invasion of privacy or defamation, we invite you to contact our office for a consultation.
At The Cifarelli Law Firm, LLP, we represent clients throughout Southern California, including the cities of Los Angeles, Santa Ana, San Diego, Riverside, Santa Monica, Long Beach and Pomona; and other locations in Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino, Riverside, as well as San Francisco.
