Blackstone's Guide to the Defamation Act

The Defamation Act constitutes a significant overhaul of UK defamation legislation, which follows years of concern about the detrimental effects that preceeding libel laws had on freedom of expression, and the extent to which the jurisdiction had become a magnet for libel claimants. This new Blackstone's Guide combines the full text of the Act and extracts of related relevant legislation with an expert narrative. It brings practitioners up-to-date with this complex piece of drafting. Its clear and practical layout make it the ideal reference source for anyone working in the area. The Blackstone's Guide series delivers concise and accessible books covering the latest legislative changes and amendments. First published soon after enactment, they offer expert commentary by leading names on the scope, extent, and effects of the legislation, plus a full copy of the Act itself. They provide a cost-effective solution to key information needs and are the perfect companion for any practitioner needing to get up to speed with the latest changes.

1. Introduction and Background ; 2. Requirement of Serious Harm ; 3. The New Statutory Defence of Truth ; 4. The New Statutory Defence of Honest Opinion ; 5. Publication on Matter of Public Interest ; 6. The New Defence for Operators of Websites ; 7. Peer-reviewed Statements in Scientific or Academic Journals ; 8. Reports Protected by Privilege ; 9. The Single Publication Rule ; 10. Actions Against Non-domiciled Persons ; 11. Actions against Secondary Publishers and Orders to Remove the Statement or Cease Distributing ; 12. Trial to be Without a Jury Unless the Court Orders Otherwise ; 13. Court's Power to Order a Summary of its Judgment to be Published ; 14. Special Damage ; Appendix 1 Defamation Act 2013 ; Appendix 2 Defamation Act 1996 Schedule 1, as amended by Defamation Act 2013