Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Jun 11, 2024
Deann Totta vs. CCSB Financial Corp., Et al.
DeAnn Totta and her affiliated entities sued CCSB Financial Corp. and its Board of Directors for defamation, alleging that statements made in a Nominating Committee report during a contested Board election were false and defamatory. The circuit court granted summary judgment to CCSB. The appellate court affirmed, holding that the challenged statements were either constitutionally protected expressions of opinion or were substantially true, thus precluding Totta's defamation claims.