JAMES J. JAUBERT et ux. v. CROWLEY POST-SIGNAL, INC., 375 So. 2d 1386

Summary

The newspaper printed a story which included a photograph of the homeowners' house. The homeowners brought suit alleging invasion of privacy and judgment was entered in their favor. On appeal, the court reversed the judgment of the lower courts, holding that the homeowners failed to allege that the publication placed them, or their home, in a false light. The court found that the record showed that the photograph was not retouched and that the property was indeed in need of repairs. It was also clear that there was no physical intrusion upon the homeowners' seclusion as the photograph was taken from the middle of a public street. Moreover, the court concluded that this was not a case in which the newspaper had appropriated an aspect of the homeowners' personality for its own use or benefit, since mere publication for profit could not be interpreted in that light. Therefore, the homeowners had no right to privacy, regarding the house and its condition.