All posts
21.06.16
UKIP politician ordered to pay £40,000 damages to two Labour MPs in libel case
Two Labour MPs, Sir Kevin Barron and John Healey, have each been awarded £40,000 in damages as a result of libelous comments made about them during an interview by a political rival on national television. Liability had already been determined and there was subsequently a hearing to determine quantum. Background The claimants in this case…
Read more9.11.15
Social Media defamation: Richardson v Facebook/Richardson v Google UK Ltd: Appeals dismissed as wrong defendants sued
In Richardson v Facebook [2015] EWHC 3154 (QB) Mr Justice Warby dismissed the claimant’s appeals in two separate but similar claims for defamation and breach of Article 8 ECHR. One claim was brought against ‘Facebook’ and the other against Google UK Ltd. The claims related to content published on Facebook and Google’s Blogger services, specifically a fake profile and a…
Read more25.09.15
Corporate defamation claims and claims against anonymous parties
Brett Wilson LLP partner Iain Wilson is interviewed by Susan Ghaiwal. This article was first published on Lexis® PSL IP&IT on 24 September 2015. Does Brett Wilson LLP v Persons Unknown highlight how courts should approach anonymity in online cases? Iain Wilson, partner at Brett Wilson LLP, explains that the judgment shows courts recognise the harm that anonymous…
Read more16.09.15
Brett Wilson LLP awarded damages and injunction for defamatory posting
Brett Wilson LLP has been granted an injunction prohibiting the publication of a false and defamatory posting at a successor website to the controversial Solicitors from Hell website. The law firm acted for the Law Society in the landmark class action which saw the original website closed down by the High Court in 2011 (The Law Society & Ors v Kordowski…
Read more4.08.15
Libel no longer actionable without proof of damage, but damage can be inferred
In Lachaux v Independent Print ([2015] EWHC 2242 (QB) the High Court sought to clarify the meaning of section 1 of the Defamation Act 2013: the requirement for defamation claimants to show that a publication has caused serious harm to reputation or is likely to cause serious harm to reputation. It has been a matter…
Read more8.10.14
The end of jury trials in libel claims?
The decision in Tim Yeo MP v Times Newspapers [2014] EWHC 2853 (QB) is the first to engage section 11 of the Defamation Act 2013, specifically that a trial is to be ‘without a jury unless the court orders otherwise’. Mr Justice Warby refused an application made by the Defendant, The Times Newspapers to proceed…
Read moreLegal Disclaimer
Articles are intended as an introduction to the topic and do not constitute legal advice.
