Netflix and RealHouse Productions LLC have been ordered to pay $385,000 in damages after an Indiana federal jury found they violated the privacy of a woman by disclosing her name in the documentary Our Father. The documentary, which aired in 2022, explores the story of Dr. Donald Cline, a fertility doctor who secretly inseminated dozens of patients with his own sperm, fathering nearly a hundred children without their consent.

After three and a half days of trial and seven hours of deliberation, the jury found that Netflix and RealHouse were liable for invasion of privacy but cleared the companies of claims made by a second woman. Despite the jury’s decision, the verdict was relatively small, considering the potential millions in compensatory and punitive damages that were initially sought.

Attorney Robert MacGill, representing the plaintiffs, called the verdict “mixed,” noting that his clients had not yet decided whether to appeal to the Seventh Circuit. He emphasized that the case set an important precedent for future privacy lawsuits involving filmmakers and distributors. “This jury verdict demonstrates how Americans are protected against invasions of privacy,” MacGill said. “It sets the foundation for future cases that will likely include damages for emotional distress and harm to privacy interests.”

A spokesperson for Netflix viewed the verdict as a favorable outcome, given that the plaintiffs had initially sought tens of millions in punitive damages. Netflix argued successfully that one of the women had voluntarily revealed her biological relationship to Cline through social media, which contributed to the jury’s decision to clear the company of claims related to her.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Netflix's defense team, which included lawyers from five major national law firms, worked to reduce the company’s exposure. A significant win came during summary judgment when U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt dismissed the claims of one of the three plaintiffs and later ruled that the plaintiffs' punitive damages claims could not proceed. Judge Pratt concluded that there was insufficient evidence to show that Netflix had acted with gross negligence or reckless disregard for the plaintiffs' privacy rights. The evidence, she said, indicated that both Netflix and RealHouse had taken steps to comply with legal requirements.

The plaintiffs were represented by Robert D. MacGill and his team at MacGill PC. Netflix’s defense team included lawyers from Munger Tolles & Olson LLP, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, and Greenberg Traurig LLP.

The case is Doe et al. v. Netflix Inc. et al., case number 1:22-cv-01281, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.