Scott Cooper
v.
City of Reinbeck, Reinbeck Telecommunications Utility, and Tim Johnson, Mayor of the City of Reinbeck
Appellant
Scott Cooper
Appellee
City of Reinbeck, Reinbeck Telecommunications Utility, and Tim Johnson, Mayor of the City of Reinbeck
Attorney for the Appellant
David L. Brown and Tyler R. Smith
Attorney for the Appellee
Dustin T. Zeschke
Supreme Court
Oral Argument Schedule
Non-Oral
Briefs
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Grundy County, Bradley J. Harris, Judge. AFFIRMED. Heard by Vogel, C.J., and Vaitheswaran and Doyle, JJ. Opinion by Vogel, C.J. (9 pages)
Scott Cooper appeals the grant of summary judgment dismissing his defamation claim against defendants City of Reinbeck, Reinbeck Telecommunications Utility (RTU), and Tim Johnson. He argues the defendants are not entitled to absolute or qualified privilege on their allegedly defamatory statements contained in their letter prepared for Cooper’s unemployment proceeding and in statements to the RTU board and city council. OPINION HOLDS: Because Cooper has not shown a genuine issue of material fact as to whether the defendants acted with actual malice or otherwise abused their immunity under qualified privilege, we affirm the district court’s grant of summary judgment.