Thirteen years after Michael Jackson's death, and 12 years after release of a posthumous album with three songs of contested origin, the state Supreme Court used the dispute Thursday to bolster California consumers' right to sue for false advertising.

A lawsuit by a buyer of the 2010 album “Michael,” who claimed she and other purchasers had been deceived by an album cover and marketing that described Jackson as the vocalist, had been rejected by a state appeals court, which said statements related to works of art or literature were protected by the First Amendment and immune from both state regulation and claims of consumer fraud. The state’s high court disagreed unanimously.

Bob Egelko has been a reporter since June 1970. He spent 30 years with the Associated Press, covering news, politics and occasionally sports in Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento, and legal affairs in San Francisco from 1984 onward. He worked for the San Francisco Examiner for five months in 2000, then joined The Chronicle in November 2000.

His beat includes state and federal courts in California, the Supreme Court and the State Bar. He has a law degree from McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and is a member of the bar. Coverage has included the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, the appointment of Rose Bird to the state Supreme Court and her removal by the...

Read Full Story: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Court-OKs-false-advertising-claim...