I make the case in Part 1 of this post that there are good policy reasons why Section 1(2) of the Defamation Act 2013 (“the 2013 Act”) does not always best serve the public interest. However even if the Section 1(2) hurdle were absent, a corporate claimant whose product or business practices have wrongly been attacked is likely then to be confronted with a “public interest” defence under Section 4. Continue reading
Inforrm's Blog
The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog
On 17 and 18 November 2020 Inforrm published a two-part post on “Corporate Claimants in Libel Cases, Part 1” and “Part 2” by Guy Vassall-Adams QC, which is an erudite and helpful analysis of the relevant law. Continue reading
On Friday 27 November 2020, at the conclusion of a Case Management Conference in the Mirror Group phone hacking litigation the managing judge, Mr Justice Mann, announced that he would be stepping down from that role after 7 years. Continue reading
A Daily Mail article (since edited), “What they DON’T tell you about COVID“, published 20 November 2020, claimed that official projections of Covid deaths and infection rates have been significantly overstated when compared to actual data – suggesting that lockdown measures were an unnecessary infringement on personal freedoms. Continue reading
Solicitor Ryan Beckwith emerged victorious from the Divisional Court today having had the limited findings against him made by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (“SDT”) last year reversed. Continue reading
It shouldn’t be controversial to say journalists have failed in reporting on Muslims and Islam in the UK. Inaccurate use of terms and frequently negative constructions can make the religion seem strange, dangerous, or simply not British. Continue reading
This is proving to be quite a year for celebrity libel. First, Johnny Depp and now the turn of Rebecca Vardy. She is bringing libel proceedings against Coleen Rooney arising from the now infamous ‘Wagatha Christie” Instagram post accusing Ms Vardy of being responsible for leaking stories about Ms Rooney to The Sun. Continue reading
In the case of Dupate v Latvia ([2020] ECHR 819) the Fifth Section of the European Court of Human Rights held that the publication of covertly taken photographs of the partner of a politician leaving hospital with her newborn baby was a violation of her Article 8 rights. Although the photographs were taken in a public place and were not humiliating there was no proper justification for their inclusion in the magazine article. Continue reading
Drones are taking off everywhere. Sales of drones are growing at a phenomenal rate, and a large part of this demand is driven by the amateur consumer market. A number of high-profile cases demonstrate that there are serious concerns around safety and regulation. How can we balance the need for such regulation with consumer enjoyment and experience? Continue reading
On 19 November 2020, Warby J heard the trial of preliminary issue on meaning in Vardy v Rooney, handing down judgment the following day, 20 November 2020 [2020] EWHC 3156 (QB). Continue reading
Recent Judgments
© 2020 Inforrm's Blog
Theme by Anders Norén — Up ↑