A former Thompson Hine secretary who discovered she was the subject of emails between a law firm partner and his wife cannot sue for defamation because the communications are protected by spousal privilege and the comments were opinions, a Southern District judge has ruled.

Valerie Medcalf, who worked as a legal secretary for Thompson Hine partner George Walsh, told her firm in August 2011 that she needed five months of leave based on symptoms of postpartum depression.