Prof. Jane Kirtley Quoted on MPR About Minnesota Supreme Court Ruling in #MeToo Lawsuit

Professor Jane Kirtley was quoted on MPR regarding a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that sided with the defendant in a #MeToo movement case. The defendant had publicly accused her dance teacher of sexual assault. The decision overturns a Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling that said the plaintiff had the right to sue because the accusation had harmed his reputation. But the high court said that the defendant raised an issue of public concern and that she was entitled to stronger First Amendment protections than she would otherwise enjoy. Kirtley said the ruling sets a major precedent for defamation law in Minnesota. “This is a breathtaking opinion to me in terms of the breadth of the protection for speech that the majority has articulated here.”