Invasion of Privacy: Appropriation

Appropriation is unauthorized commercial use of plaintiff’s name or likeness.

Representative cases

• Simpson v. Central Maine Motors, Inc. 669 A.2d 1324 · Supreme Judicial Court of Maine
• Express One International, Inc. v. Steinbeck 53 S.W.3d 895 · Texas Court of Appeals, 5th District (Dallas)
• Meadows v. Hartford Life Insurance 492 F.3d 634 · Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Related Defamation & Privacy rules

• Defamation: ElementsDefamation requires defamatory statement of fact about plaintiff, publication, and reputational harm.
• Defamation: Public FiguresPublic figures must prove actual malice—knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard.
• Defamation: Private FiguresPrivate plaintiffs must prove negligence on matters of public concern.
• Privileges: AbsoluteAbsolute privilege applies to judicial, legislative, and some executive proceedings.
• Privileges: QualifiedQualified privilege applies to statements made for proper purpose unless abused.
• Invasion of Privacy: IntrusionIntrusion is intentional invasion of plaintiff’s private affairs that is highly offensive.
• Invasion of Privacy: Public DisclosurePublic disclosure of private facts is tortious when highly offensive and not of legitimate public concern.
• Invasion of Privacy: False LightFalse light involves publicity placing plaintiff in misleading, highly offensive portrayal.

Part of Torts on Core Legal Rules — foundational MBE-tested principles with primary-source citations.