The defendant had published a series of articles alleging that certain documentaries made by the claimants were fakes. The claimants sought damages for libel. The defendants asserted that the words complained of were capable of not referring to the first claimant.
Held: The trial should be limited to determining the truth of the real matters at issue. The judge had ruled certain meanings in, and the court should be reluctant to interfere with his ruling, but the party should still be able to put his case, and the judge’s order would not allow that. Appeal allowed.
Judges:
Lord Justice Simon Brown, Lord Justice Mantell, And, Lord Justice Latham
Citations:
[2001] EWCA Civ 1644
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Cruise and Another v Express Newspapers Plc and Another CA 22-Jul-1998
The Court of Appeal should always be reluctant to reverse an interlocutory finding of a judge at first instance that the words alleged to be libellous are capable of bearing the defamatory meaning alleged. . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Defamation
Updated: 29 June 2022; Ref: scu.166821
