Chaskie J. Rosenberg, Appellant v. MetLife, Inc., Respondents

Summary

The New York Court of Appeals held that statements made by an employer on a NASD Form U-5 are protected by an absolute privilege in defamation actions, reasoning that the filing is a compulsory step in a quasi‑judicial regulatory process serving significant public interests. The court answered a certified question from the Second Circuit, affirming the lower court's dismissal of the libel claim. Justice Pigott dissented, arguing that only a qualified privilege should apply.