Opinion
No. 54691.
02-14-2011
Robert W. LUECK, An Individual, Appellant, v. Ed VOGEL, An Individual; and Stephens Media, LLC, d/b/A Las Vegas Review Journal, Respondents.
Robert W. Lueck, Esq. Campbell & Williams
Robert W. Lueck, Esq.
Campbell & Williams
ORDER OF AFFIRMANCE
This is an appeal from a district court summary judgment in a defamation action. Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County; Kenneth C. Cory, Judge.
Our review is de novo, and we affirm, see Wood v. Safeway, Inc., 121 Nev. 724, 729, 121 P.3d 1026, 1029 (2005), because the statements published in respondents' newspaper articles were protected by the fair reporting privilege, which provides absolute immunity to a party who makes a fair, accurate, and impartial report of events occurring in judicial proceedings. See Sahara Gaming v. Culinary Workers, 115 Nev. 212, 215, 984 P.2d 164, 166 (1999). The fact that the articles did not specifically mention that appellant's child support arrearages had been paid before the articles were written did not prevent the privilege from attaching, given that the articles were fair abridgments of the writ petition and appellant's opposition. See Wynn v. Smith, 117 Nev. 6, 14, 16 P.3d 424, 429 (2001) (explaining that the fair reporting privilege applies “ ‘if the report is accurate and complete or a fair abridgment of the occurrence reported’ “ (quoting Restatement (Second) of Torts § 611 (1965) ).
Accordingly, we
ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED.