ATLANTA – The federal appeals court in Atlanta says a woman who took part in sexually explicit contests at a Daytona Beach, Fla., hotel two months shy of her 18th birthday cannot sue over Internet images of her, even though she was a minor.
According to court documents, Julie Amanda Tilton participated in two wet T-shirt contests observed by 300 to 400 people, many with video cameras, at The Desert Inn during spring break in March 2001.
A federal judge rejected Tilton's claim she was a sexually exploited minor, saying she failed to prove the photos harmed her. A three-judge panel upheld that ruling Thursday but reversed denial of attorney fees to Tilton from a photographer.
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