Category: defamation

Economic Torts and Injured Feelings – Cambridge Law Journal

Posted March 27th, 2025 in appeals, damages, defamation, malicious falsehood, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘George v Cannell [2024 UKSC 19, [2024] 3 W.L.R. 153 is the first time in over a century that the UK’s highest court has substantively considered the economic tort of malicious falsehood. Sometimes known as injurious falsehood or slander of title, at common law this tort requires a falsehood, published maliciously which is calculated to produce, and does produce, “special damage” – namely, pecuniary loss.’

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Cambridge Law Journal, 7th January 2025

Source: www.cambridge.org

High Court awards £20,000 in damages to parish clerk over defamatory Facebook posts by councillor – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 27th, 2025 in autism, damages, defamation, internet, local government, news by sally

‘A parish clerk has been awarded £20,000 in damages after defamatory social media posts by a parish councillor, who was “consumed with a very strong personal dislike” of the clerk, were found to have caused serious harm to their reputation.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2025

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

SRA: Law firm’s work for warlord was not improper – Legal Futures

Posted March 25th, 2025 in defamation, law firms, news, professional conduct, Russia, sanctions, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Ukraine by sally

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) yesterday took the unusual step of setting out why it cleared the law firm which acted for Yevgeniy Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, of misconduct.’

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Legal Futures, 25th March 2025

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA under fire for ignoring ‘legal intimidation’ tactics – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 7th, 2025 in defamation, law firms, news, prosecutions, public interest, Russia, Solicitors Regulation Authority, whistleblowers by sally

‘An MP yesterday criticised the Solicitors Regulation Authority for failing to sanction lawyers who were facilitating “legal intimidation” on behalf of a Russian warlord. Lloyd Hatton, a member of the all-party anti-corruption parliamentary group, said regulators were allowing lawyers to be used as “hired guns” by rich and powerful clients.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th March 2025

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Parish council chaos as £20k libel bill issued over claim clerk ‘gave the finger’ during meeting – The Independent

Posted March 5th, 2025 in damages, defamation, local government, news by sally

‘A parish councillor who accused the village clerk of secretly giving him “the finger” during a council meeting has been handed a £20,000 libel bill after being sued at the High Court.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2025

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Slapps used to silence whistleblowers should be outlawed, says group of MPs – The Guardian

Posted November 22nd, 2024 in defamation, disclosure, employment, freedom of expression, media, news, postal service, public interest, whistleblowers by sally

‘Excessive legal threats used to silence those who tried to expose the Post Office Horizon scandal and allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed should be outlawed, a cross-party group of MPs have said.’

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The Guardian, 21st November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tommy Robinson jailed for 18 months after admitting contempt of court – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2024 in contempt of court, defamation, guilty pleas, injunctions, news, sentencing by sally

‘The far-right activist Tommy Robinson has been jailed for 18 months for contempt of court for repeating false allegations against a Syrian refugee, in breach of an injunction.’

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The Guardian, 28th October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court orders parties to engage in ADR over costs – Legal Futures

Posted October 16th, 2024 in civil procedure rules, costs, defamation, dispute resolution, media, news by sally

‘A ruling that a former Conservative MP and a national newspaper must engage in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) before their argument over costs can be heard is a landmark that could herald the start of a new era, the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 16th October 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

No misconduct by Rooney lawyers, judge rules – BBC News

Posted October 9th, 2024 in barristers, costs, defamation, news, professional conduct, sport by sally

‘Coleen Rooney’s lawyers did not commit misconduct, a judge has ruled, after Rebekah Vardy accused her of “deliberately” understating her legal costs during the 2022 Wagatha libel trial.’

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BBC News, 8th October 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Row over ‘sheer magnitude’ of Wagatha legal bill – BBC News

Posted October 8th, 2024 in costs, defamation, media, news, privacy, sport by sally

‘The so-called Wagatha Christie dispute has gone back to the High Court, with Rebekah Vardy challenging the “sheer magnitude” of the legal costs claimed by Coleen Rooney from their 2022 libel trial.’

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BBC News, 7th October 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Chris Packham ‘forced to pay £200,000 to pensioner’ after libel case – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 7th, 2024 in costs, damages, defamation, news by michael

‘Chris Packham has been forced to pay £200,000 to a pensioner and country sportsman he was accused of pursuing ‘vindictively” through the courts, it has been claimed.’

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Daily Telegraph, 5th October 2024

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Harcombe / Kendrick preliminary trial judgment – 5RB

Posted July 10th, 2024 in chambers articles, defamation, media, news, public interest by sally

‘Mr Justice Nicklin has handed down judgment on the preliminary issues that were tried between 3 and 11 July last year in Zoe Harcombe and Dr Malcolm Kendrick’s libel actions against the Mail on Sunday.’

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5RB, 25th June 2024

Source: www.5rb.com

Supreme Court allows Mueen-Uddin appeal – 5RB

Posted June 25th, 2024 in abuse of process, appeals, chambers articles, defamation, foreign jurisdictions, news, striking out, Supreme Court, war crimes by sally

‘A unanimous Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeal’s and High Court’s decision to strike out the libel claim as an abuse of process.’

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5RB, 20th June 2024

Source: www.5rb.com

Joey Barton to pay Jeremy Vine £75,000 after calling him a ‘bike nonce’ – The Guardian

Posted June 19th, 2024 in damages, defamation, internet, media, news, sport by sally

‘The former footballer and manager Joey Barton has issued a public apology on the social media site X and has agreed to pay £75,000 to Jeremy Vine, after a high court ruling that calling the broadcaster a “bike nonce” on social media was defamatory.’

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The Guardian, 18th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Portrayal of character in Steve Coogan’s film The Lost King is defamatory, judge rules – The Guardian

Posted June 17th, 2024 in artistic works, defamation, news, universities by sally

‘The portrayal of a former university official in Steve Coogan’s film about the discovery of the remains of Richard III is defamatory, a high court judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 14th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law firm fails with defamation claim over Trustpilot reviews – Legal Futures

Posted June 14th, 2024 in causation, damages, defamation, law firms, news by sally

‘A law firm has failed in a defamation action over negative reviews about it on Trustpilot, with the High Court ruling that it could not prove they caused any financial loss.’

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Legal Futures, 14th June 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA “has gone too far” with demands in SLAPPs guidance – Legal Futures

Posted June 10th, 2024 in defamation, news, professional conduct, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) guidance on SLAPPs may go too far in requiring practitioners to ascertain the truth of their client’s case, a senior barrister has suggested.’

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Legal Futures, 10th June 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney’s ‘Wagatha Christie’ case returns to High Court – The Independent

Posted May 29th, 2024 in costs, defamation, media, news, privacy, sport by sally

‘Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney have taken the “Wagatha Christie” case back to court for a further hearing over soaring costs.’

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The Independent, 28th May 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Joey Barton calling Jeremy Vine a ‘bike nonce’ was defamatory, judge rules – The Guardian

Posted May 28th, 2024 in defamation, internet, media, news by sally

‘The former footballer and manager Joey Barton calling the broadcaster Jeremy Vine a “bike nonce” on social media was defamatory, a high court judge has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 24th May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK review of protest tactics expected to stop short of banning groups – The Guardian

Posted May 21st, 2024 in defamation, demonstrations, news, parliamentary privilege, proscribed organisations, reports by sally

‘A review of disruptive tactics used by protesters is expected to stop short of demanding that named groups such as Palestine Action and Just Stop Oil should be banned.’

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The Guardian, 20th May 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com