Contracts Keyed to Ayres
Cohen v. Cowles Media Co
Facts
Plaintiff provided information to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, published by Cowles Media Co. (Defendant) and the St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch with derogatory information concerning a candidate running for public office. The reporters for both newspapers promised Plaintiff that his identity would be protected. Later, editors at both newspapers decided that his identity should be revealed because he was known to have ties to an opposing candidate. When the stories were published, Plaintiff was fired from his job. Plaintiff sued the publishers of both newspapers for breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation. The jury found for Plaintiff, awarding him $200,000 in compensatory damages and $250,000 in punitive damages. The appellate court set aside the finding of fraudulent misrepresentation and the punitive damages, but affirmed the compensatory damages for breach of contract. The Minnesota Supreme Court found that promissory estoppel could be a basis for recovery, but that the First Amendment concerns prevented the recovery of damages in this case. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari and reversed, finding that the First Amendment was not implicated. The case was remanded to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
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