Bierman v. Weier
Annotate this CaseAfter a contentious divorce from his ex-wife, Beth Weier, Scott wrote a memoir called Mind, Body and Soul. The book discusses Scott's personal transformation following his divorce. Beth and her father, Gail Bierman, filed suit against Scott and Author Solutions, Inc. (ASI), the company that produced the book, for invasion of privacy, libel, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Scott and ASI (Defendants) filed motions for summary judgment, which the district court denied. The Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part, holding (1) the district court correctly denied Scott's motion for summary judgment on all claims; but (2) as a bona fide book publisher, ASI should be considered a media defendant, and therefore, ASI was entitled to summary judgment as to Plaintiffs' libel and false light invasion of privacy claims because Plaintiffs failed to provide sufficient proof to establish a prima facie case under the established standards applicable to such defendants.