A California court may award three kinds of damages to an aggrieved party in a defamation case. What are damages? Damages are monetary compensation for loss or injury to a person or property. In defamation cases, a court is attempting to measure the plaintiff's loss of reputation as a result of the alleged defamatory statement or statements. … [Read more...] about The 3 Different Types Of Damages in Defamation Cases
Archives for January 2009
Defamation Hotlinks: 1/19/09-1/23/09
I scour the Internet for defamation stories and posts every day because I am passionate about the law of defamation. Because I find so many interesting articles/posts on a regular basis, I thought I would share some of them with my readers through a new series here at the California Defamation Law Blog, called, "Defamation Hotlinks." Every Friday I'll post … [Read more...] about Defamation Hotlinks: 1/19/09-1/23/09
Do You Have A Case For Defamation?
Why would you ever want to talk to a lawyer unless you are in an unpleasant situation? It's simple. You want an answer to a basic question: Do I have a case? Or, if you're being sued, does the other person have a case? The reality is that you'll rarely get a clear-cut answer from an attorney. Why is that? Because the law is a reflection of society and its values and mores, … [Read more...] about Do You Have A Case For Defamation?
Hailstone v. Martinez: What Exactly Is A Matter of Public Interest?
California legislators passed a law in 1991 known as the "anti-SLAPP" statute to dispose of lawsuits at an early state of litigation that are primarily aimed at chilling speech. An issue that frequently arises is whether the alleged defamatory statement(s) is a matter of public interest. If so, the first prong of the statute is satisfied, and the burden … [Read more...] about Hailstone v. Martinez: What Exactly Is A Matter of Public Interest?
How Will Obama’s Presidency Affect Internet Defamation Laws?
As I was watching the inauguration and the following festivities today, I kept thinking: How will internet defamation laws be influenced by Obama's presidency? After all, I thought, Obama is the first american president to be described as "Internet savvy." The media has reported on numerous occasions that Obama is fond of using e-mail and … [Read more...] about How Will Obama’s Presidency Affect Internet Defamation Laws?