Way v. Boy Scouts of America

856 S.W.2d 230, 21 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1684, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 1918, 1993 WL 154469
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 13, 1993
Docket05-92-01005-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by54 cases

This text of 856 S.W.2d 230 (Way v. Boy Scouts of America) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Way v. Boy Scouts of America, 856 S.W.2d 230, 21 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1684, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 1918, 1993 WL 154469 (Tex. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

OPINION

WHITTINGTON, Justice.

Jan Way, individually and on behalf of the estate of Rocky William Miller, deceased, sued the Boy Scouts of America, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc., and Remington Arms Company, Inc. claiming that a supplement on shooting sports published in Boys’ Life magazine caused the death of her son. Way’s twelve-year-old son, Rocky, read the supplement on shooting sports and was later killed when the rifle he and several friends were playing with accidentally discharged. We must decide whether Texas law, under these circumstances, recognizes a cause of action for publication of an article or advertisement that causes harm to a reader. In the trial court, appellees separately moved for summary judgment. The trial court granted appellees’ motions for summary judgment. Appellant contends the trial court erred in granting summary judgment. Because we conclude that Texas law does not recognize a cause of action for publication of an article or advertisement that causes harm under these circumstances, we affirm the trial court’s judgment.

BACKGROUND

Included in the September 1988 edition of Boys’ Life magazine was an advertising supplement on shooting sports, sponsored by National Shooting Sports Foundation Inc., in which Remington Arms Company, Inc., placed an advertisement. Included in the sixteen-page supplement were advertisements for firearms and ammunition manufacturers. With the various manufacturer advertisements, the supplement contained the following articles: How it Feels to Carry Our Flag at the Olympics, Experience Biathlon, Qualify for a Presidential Sports Award, Earn Your Straight Shooter Award, and Getting Started in the Shooting Sports. These articles supplied information about earning merit badges for shooting; the biathlon, an Olympic shooting sport; the Presidential Sports Award, which can be earned for accomplishments in the shooting sports; and getting started in the shooting sports. The supplement also included a checklist on firearm safety.

After reading the September supplement and obtaining information on shooting sports, Rocky and several of his friends located an old rifle and a .22-caliber cartridge. On November 19, 1988, Rocky was killed when the rifle accidentally discharged.

Jan Way sued the Boy Scouts of America, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc., and Remington Arms Company, Inc., for the death of her son. Way based her action on theories of negligence and strict products liability, claiming negligent publication of supplemental material in Boys’ Life magazine and that the information contained in the supplement made the magazine a defective product. She alleged her son was motivated to experiment with the rifle and cartridge as a direct result of the supplemental edition to the September 1988 edition of Boys’ Life magazine published by the Boy Scouts of America.

The Boy Scouts of America and the National Shooting Sports Foundation filed motions for summary judgment alleging: (1) Texas law does not recognize a cause of action for negligent publication, and no duty was owed to plaintiff; (2) there was no duty to warn of the allegedly dangerous nature of the supplement; (3) no special *233 duty was owed to plaintiff, a minor; (4) no statute was violated; (5) Boys’ Life magazine and the supplement are not “products” within the meaning of sections 402A and 402B of the Restatement (Second) of Torts; and (6) the claims are barred by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and article I, section eight of the Texas Constitution. 1 Remington Arms’ motion for summary judgment asserted: (1) no duty; (2) the First Amendment of the United States Constitution; and (3) article I, section eight of the Texas Constitution.

The trial court granted the motions of all three appellees. Because the trial court’s order does not state the grounds on which the court sustained appellees’ motions, the summary judgments will be affirmed if any of the theories advanced are meritorious. Carr v. Brasher, 776 S.W.2d 567, 569 (Tex.1989). In nine points of error, Way contends that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment on each and every ground raised by appellees in their motions.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

In reviewing a summary judgment record, we apply the following standards:

1. The movant for summary judgment has the burden of showing that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
2. In deciding whether there is a disputed material fact issue precluding summary judgment, evidence favorable to the non-movant will be taken as true.
3. Every reasonable inference must be indulged in favor of the non-movant and any doubts resolved in its favor.

Nixon v. Mr. Property Management Co., 690 S.W.2d 546, 548-49 (Tex.1985).

For a defendant, as movant, to prevail on a summary judgment, it must either disprove at least one element of the plaintiff’s theory of recovery or plead and conclusively establish each essential element of an affirmative defense, thereby rebutting the plaintiff’s cause of action. International Union UAW Local 119 v. Johnson Controls, Inc., 813 S.W.2d 558, 563 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1991, writ denied). A matter is conclusively established if ordinary minds cannot differ as to the conclusion to be drawn from the evidence. Triton Oil & Gas Corp. v. Marine Contractors & Supply, Inc., 644 S.W.2d 443, 446 (Tex.1982). A summary judgment for the defendant disposing of the entire case is proper only if, as a matter of law, the plaintiff could not succeed upon any theories pleaded. See Delgado v. Burns, 656 S.W.2d 428, 429 (Tex.1983).

NEGLIGENCE

Way contends appellees breached both common law and statutory duties owed to Rocky Miller. Way asserts negligence claims against appellees on the basis of negligent publication, negligence per se, and the attractive nuisance doctrine. Because of the similarity of issues and allegations directed towards appellees, we will address the negligence claims against the three appellees together.

A. Negligent Publication

The common law doctrine of negligence consists of three elements: (1) a legal duty owed by one person to another; (2) a breach of that duty; and (3) damages proximately resulting from the breach. Greater Houston Transp. Co. v. Phillips, 801 S.W.2d 523, 525 (Tex.1990); El Chico Corp. v. Poole,

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Bluebook (online)
856 S.W.2d 230, 21 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1684, 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 1918, 1993 WL 154469, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/way-v-boy-scouts-of-america-texapp-1993.