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Fall 2010 closed memo no. 1 assignment cooper v. stockett - invasion of privacy statute of limitations
1. MEMORANDUM
TO: Junior Associates, RWA Sections 13 and 16
FROM: Senior Partner Entrikin and Senior Associate Howell
RE: Cooper v. Stockett, No. 251-11-134 CIV
DATE: September 26, 2011
Our firm has been retained as co-counsel to represent the plaintiff, Ablene Cooper, in her
ongoing litigation against Kathryn Stockett. For the details, please see the pleadings in the court
file. The issue is whether the trial court erred in granting the defendant’s motion for summary
judgment on the ground that the plaintiff’s invasion of privacy claims appropriation of identity
and false light) were barred by the applicable statute of limitations.
Using the authorities provided, please analyze whether the trial judge correctly ruled that
Ms. Cooper’s complaint is barred by the statute of limitations. She filed a motion for
reconsideration in mid-August, which has since been denied. As soon as the judge’s order on
that motion is available, I will provide you with a copy to add to the case file. In short, we have
been asked to research the relevant authorities and advise Ms. Cooper whether to appeal the trial
court’s August 19, 2011 judgment to the Mississippi Court of Appeals.
Please predict the likelihood that the trial court’s decision will be reversed on appeal.
Use only the edited versions of the legal authorities listed below, which are posted on
TWEN under “Writing Assignments.” The only exception is Black’s Law Dictionary, which
you may consult (and cite, if appropriate) to define legal terms.
You are not authorized to engage in any outside research beyond the specific authorities
provided. Do not cite any cases not provided to you in the list of authorities. If you wish to rely
on any outside legal authoritythat is cited or relied upon by a legal resourceprovided to you,
simply refer to the outsideauthority in the text of your discussion. Then cite directly to the legal
resource provided in which you found thecitation to the outside legal authority.
Your memo should include a heading similar to the heading of this memo. Use 12-point
Times New Roman (or equivalent) font and one-inch margins. Please double-space your memo
and number the pages, centered at the bottom of each page. Please do not exceed five double-
spaced pages. (If longer, I will read and evaluate only the first five pages.)
You are encouraged todiscuss the assignment and the legal authorities with other first-
year students in Professor Entrikin’s RWA Sections 13 and 16. You may also discuss the
assignment with Cassie Howell during her office hours or by email. Do not discuss the
assignment with anyone else, including your other professors, roommates, parents, siblings,
relatives, friends, acquaintances, or strangers.
Finally, your writing must be exclusively yours. You may not show your written work to
anyone, except Cassie Howell or me. Senior Associate Howell is not authorized to edit or revise
your written work, which must be exclusively your own. You are expected to do your best
work on your memo. Your assignment is due at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 12.
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2. Memo No. 1
Library of Legal Authorities
(Edited Versions Posted on TWEN)
A. Statutes
Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-35 (WL current through 2011
Regular Session).
Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49 (WL current through 2011
Regular Session).
Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-67 (WL current through 2011
Regular Session).
B. Cases (listed in reverse chronological
order)
Swan v. Boardwalk Regency Corp., 969 A.2d 1145 (N.J.
Super. 2009).
Pierce v. Clarion Ledger, 236 Fed. Appx.887 (5th Cir.
2007).
Lane v. StrangCommun. Co., 297 F. Supp. 2d 897 (N.D. Miss.
2003).
McCorkle v. McCorkle, 811 So. 2d 258 (Miss. App. 2001).
Hervey v. MetLife Gen. Ins. Corp. Sys.Agency of Miss.,
Inc., 154 F. Supp. 2d 909 (S.D. Miss. 2001).
Tichenor v. Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese
of New Orleans, 32 F.3d 953 (5th Cir. 1994).
Young v. Jackson, 572 So. 2d 378 (Miss. 1990).
Mize v. Harvey Shapiro Enters., Inc., 714 F. Supp. 220 (N.D.
Miss. 1989).
Blackwell v. Hustler Mag., Inc., 633 F. Supp. 870 (S.D.
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3. Miss. 1986).
S. Land & Resources Co. v. Dobbs, 467 So. 2d 652 (Miss.
1985).
Martin v. Dorton, 50 So. 2d 391 (Miss. 1951).
C. Restatements
Restatement (Second) of Torts § 652C (1977).
Restatement (Second) of Torts § 652E (1977).
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