Problem 1

a). The Supreme Court has defined public figures as those who have "voluntarily exposed themselves to increased risk of injury by assuming an influential role in ordering society." When deciding whether someone is a public figure, courts look at whether this person has received press coverage, sought the public spotlight, and has the opportunity to publicly rebut the accusations. Some have argued that social media makes anyone with a public Facebook profile or a certain number of Twitter followers a public figure. Do you agree? Should courts revisit the definition of "public figure" in light of social media?

b). On chapter 7 described two lawsuits in which juries initially gave awards of $100 million or more. Is there any point at which the raw number of dollars is just too large? Was the original jury award excessive in Boeken v. Philip Morris or the Exxon Valdez case?

c). Many retailers have policies that instruct employees not to attempt to stop shoplifters. Some store owners fear false imprisonment lawsuits and possible injuries to workers more than losses related to stolen merchandise. Are these "don't be a hero" policies reasonable? Would you put one in place if you owned a retail store?

NOTE:

-Not Allowed: Statements starting with opinions, "I feel, I think, I believe, in my opinion, in my view, etc" Start with facts then state your opinion.

-This problem is from Chapter 7 of Textbook: Introduction to Business Law, 6th Edition-Jeffrey F. Beatty; Susan s. Samuelson: Patricia Sanchez Abril ISBN-10:1-337-40434-1