Order Michigan Supreme Court
Lansing, Michigan
February 3, 2016 Robert P. Young, Jr.,
Chief Justice
Stephen J. Markman
Brian K. Zahra
151367 Bridget M. McCormack
David F. Viviano
Richard H. Bernstein
SANFORD N. LAKIN and CECILIA J. Joan L. Larsen,
LAKIN, Justices
Plaintiffs-Appellees,
v SC: 151367
COA: 323695
Oakland CC: 2014-138683-NO
BARBARA RUND and ST. HUGO OF
THE HILLS CATHOLIC CHURCH,
Defendants-Appellants,
and
ANTHONY TOCCO,
Defendant.
_________________________________________/
On order of the Court, the application for leave to appeal the March 26, 2015 order
of the Court of Appeals is considered and, pursuant to MCR 7.305(H)(1), in lieu of
granting leave to appeal, we REMAND this case to the Court of Appeals for
consideration as on leave granted. The Court of Appeals shall consider (1) whether
publication of an allegedly false and defamatory statement imputing to another conduct
constituting the criminal offense of battery is actionable irrespective of special harm, see
e.g., Mains v Whiting, 87 Mich 172, 180 (1891); Taylor v Kneeland, 1 Doug 67, 72
(1843) (holding that words charging a person with a crime are not actionable per se
unless the crime involves moral turpitude or would subject the person to an infamous
punishment); and (2) whether the statement at issue in this case imputed to the plaintiff
the criminal offense of battery.
I, Larry S. Royster, Clerk of the Michigan Supreme Court, certify that the
foregoing is a true and complete copy of the order entered at the direction of the Court.
February 3, 2016
d0127
Clerk