Solicitors from Hell ‘abusing court process’, judge finds – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 4th, 2011 in abuse of process, defamation, internet, news, solicitors by sally

“The owner of Solicitors from Hell, the website that blacklists law firms and solicitors, has been accused by a High Court judge of abusing the process of the court.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 1st April 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Superinjunction scores legal first for nameless financier in libel action – The Guardian

Posted March 30th, 2011 in anonymity, defamation, freedom of expression, injunctions, internet, news by sally

“A wealthy financier involved in a family dispute has made British legal history by winning anonymity in a libel case. This latest court attempt to censor internet material has led to claims that free speech is being further eroded in Britain.”

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The Guardian, 29th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Birdwatchers lose RSPB defamation case – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 28th, 2011 in defamation, news by sally

“Two birdwatchers who sued the RSPB for criticising their research into an endangered species have lost their case after a judge said the courts should not be used for scientific disputes.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th March 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Public interest defence against libel proposed, but campaigners call for more radical action – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 17th, 2011 in bills, defamation, defences, news, public interest by sally

“Journalists will be able to rely on the defence that they published responsibly and in the public interest in defamation cases, according to reforms proposed by the Government. A defence of ‘honest opinion’ will replace that of ‘fair comment’.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th March 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

The libel reforms are a step in the right direction – but do they go far enough? – The Guardian

Posted March 16th, 2011 in bills, defamation, news by sally

“The draft bill has many welcome clauses, but doesn’t limit the right of companies to sue that many campaigners had hoped for.”

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The Guardian, 15th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government refuses to outlaw celebrity gagging orders – The Independent

Posted March 16th, 2011 in defamation, injunctions, news, privacy by sally

“Ministers have ruled out reforming Britain’s privacy laws or bringing in new legislation to stop super-injunctions silencing the media, the Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke said yesterday.”

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The Independent, 16th March 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Libel reform: government’s proposals – The Guardian

Read the draft defamation bill and consultation in full

The Guardian, 15th March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Libel law reform announced – Ministry of Justice

“New measures to support free speech, enable people to protect their reputation and help stop the use of unreasonable threats of being sued for libel were announced today.”

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Ministry of Justice, 15th March 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Damages awarded in first UK Twitter libel action – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted March 15th, 2011 in costs, damages, defamation, internet, news by sally

“A Welsh councillor has been ordered to pay damages in what is believed to be the first libel action resulting from comments posted on Twitter.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 15th March 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Defamation Bill intended to kill off ‘libel tourism’ – The Independent

Posted March 15th, 2011 in bills, choice of forum, defamation, defences, freedom of expression, internet, news by sally

“Major changes to Britain’s antiquated defamation laws will be outlined by ministers today with the publication of a bill to provide greater protection for free speech and an end to ‘libel tourism’.”

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The Independent, 15th March 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New rules to discourage ‘libel tourism’ in Britain – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 14th, 2011 in choice of forum, defamation, news by sally

“The new rules will block celebrities and businessmen from bringing libel cases in this country unless they can prove that publication caused them ‘substantial harm’ in England and Wales, it is understood.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th March 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Twitter libel: Caerphilly councillor pays rival £3,000 – BBC News

Posted March 11th, 2011 in compensation, defamation, internet, news by sally

“A Caerphilly county councillor is to pay £3,000 and costs to a political rival for posting a libellous comment on Twitter.”

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BBC News, 10th March 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Daily Telegraph apologises to Sedley LJ over defamatory allegations – The Lawyer

Posted March 9th, 2011 in defamation, judges, news by sally

“The Daily Telegraph is to issue a formal apology to Lord Justice Sedley over a series of ‘professionally damaging’ allegations which appeared in the paper last year.”

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The Lawyer, 9th March 2011

Source: www.thelawyer.com

Court rules that newspaper does not have to identify commenters – The Guardian

Posted March 2nd, 2011 in anonymity, defamation, internet, media, news by sally

“Defamation attempt fails as high court rules that anonymous comments on the Daily Mail’s website are little more than ‘pub talk’.”

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The Guardian, 1st March 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Newspaper does not have to identify anonymous commenters, rules High Court – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 28th, 2011 in anonymity, defamation, internet, media, news, privacy by sally

“The Daily Mail does not have to identify the people behind two anonymously posted comments on its website because to do so would breach their rights to privacy, the High Court has said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 28th February 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Phone-hacking libel claim contested by Metropolitan police – The Guardian

Posted February 28th, 2011 in defamation, documents, interception, news, police, telecommunications by sally

“Scotland Yard is to contest a lawsuit that could establish the true number of victims in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.”

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The Guardian, 26th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Crisis of identity: why English law needs to protect our personalities – The Guardian

Posted February 24th, 2011 in confidentiality, defamation, freedom of expression, media, news by sally

“Portrayals of real people in docudramas and novels have made millions for authors and film-makers. But what of their subjects?”

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The Guardian, 23rd February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Rival guilty of paedophile slur against MP Mike Hancock – BBC News

Posted February 24th, 2011 in defamation, elections, fines, news by sally

“A rival who falsely claimed a Liberal Democrat MP was a paedophile has been convicted of attempting to affect a result in the general election.”

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BBC News, 23rd February 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Facebook threatens to sue Daily Mail over paedophile story – The Guardian

Posted February 23rd, 2011 in child abuse, defamation, internet, media, news by sally

“Facebook is threatening legal action against the Daily Mail amid a dispute over the headline of a front page story that named the social networking website in the context of a story about a paedophile gang operating in Devon.”

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The Guardian, 22nd February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyer wins £10,000 damages from Solicitors from Hell owner – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted February 18th, 2011 in damages, defamation, internet, news, solicitors by sally

“A judge has condemned the owner of the Solicitors from Hell website for his conduct when committing a serious libel against a young solicitor.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 17th February 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk