Table of Contents

Introduction

Objectives of the Law

Claims to the Commission (and criticisms of the law which have come to its attention)

Damages

Substantive Law

Procedure

Pleading and Particulars

Evidence

Miscellaneous

The Historical Development

Comments on the Law: The Defamation Act, 1958

Paragraphs 66 to 116

The Code Principle

The Repealing Section (s. 2)

The Savings Section (s. 3)

The Definition Section (s. 4)

Defamatory Matter (s. 5)

Functions of judge and jury (s.6)

Definition of Defamation (s. 7)

Publication (s. 8)

Paragraphs 117 to 184

"Protection, justification or Excuse" (s. 9)

Defamation Actionable (s. 10)

Absolute Privilege of Parliament (s. 11)

Privileges of judges etc. (ss. 12 13)

Privileged Reports (s. 14)

Fair Comment (s. 15)

Justification (s. 16)

Paragraphs 185 to 237

Qualified Privilege (s. 17)

Burden of Proof of Good Faith (s. 18)

Relevance and Public Benefit (s. 19)

Unlikelihood of Injury (s. 20)

Apology in Mitigation (s. 21)

Apology in Defence (s. 22)

Consolidation of Actions (s. 23)

Paragraphs 238 to 266

Other Recoveries in Mitigation (s.21)

Disclosing Name of Author (s. 25)

General Crime of Defamation (s. 26)

Extortion (s. 27)

Subsidiary Criminal Provisions (ss. 28-34 and 37)

Innocent Sellers (ss. 35 and 36)

Evidence (ss. 38 and 39)

Staying Proceedings (s. 40)

Disqualification of Newspapers (s.41)

Slander of Title, Blasphemous Libel (s. 42)

Comments on the Law

Damages

Procedure

Pleading and Particulars

Evidence

Miscellaneous and Conclusions