The Dallas Morning News, Inc. and Steve Blow, Petitioners v. John Tatum and Mary Ann Tatum, Respondents

Summary

The Texas Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and reinstated the trial court’s summary judgment for Steve Blow and The Dallas Morning News, holding that the column’s implication that the Tatums acted deceptively is protected opinion and not actionable defamation. The Court also affirmed that the column is literally and substantially true. Justice Boyd’s concurrence criticized the majority’s new terminology but agreed with the result.