A controversy involving issues that are debated publicly and that have substantial ramifica-tions for persons other than those engaged in it. • A participant in a public controversy may be deemed a public figure for purposes of a defamation suit arising from the controversy. See PUBLIC FIGURE. [Cases: Libel and Slander 48(1). C.J.S. Libel and […]
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disparagement (di-spair-ij-m[schwa]nt), n. 1. A derogatory comparison of one thing with another (the disparagement consisted in comparing the acknowledged liar to a murderer). 2. The act or an instance of castigating or detracting from the reputation of, esp. unfairly or untruthfully (when she told the press the details of her husband’s philandering, her statements amounted
injuria absque damno (in-joor-ee-[schwa] abs-kwee dam-noh). [Latin “injury without damage”] A legal wrong that will not sustain a lawsuit because no harm resulted from it. — Also termed injuria sine damno. Cf. DAMNUM SINE INJURIA . “Just as there are cases in which damage is not actionable as a tort (damnum sine injuria), so conversely
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de contumace capiendo (dee kon-ty[schwa]-may-see kap-ee-en-doh), n. [Law Latin “for arresting a contumacious person”] Hist. A writ issuing out of the Court of Chancery at the request of an ecclesiastical court that has found a person to be in contempt. • This writ came into use after the Ecclesiastical Courts Act of 1813 removed ecclesiastical
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stigma-plus doctrine. The principle that defamation by a government official is not actionable as a civil-rights violation unless the victim suffers not only embarrassment but also the loss of a property interest (such as continued employment in a government job). [Cases: Civil Rights 1038; Libel and Slander 32. C.J.S. Civil Rights §§ 18, 20, 23–24;
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slander n. 口头诽谤 指以言词或其他非永久性形式针对他人所作的虚假或诋毁性陈述，它可以作为诉因而被要求损害赔偿。在英国法中，自17世纪开始即把诽谤〔defamation〕分为两种，即口头诽谤与书面诽谤〔libel〕(包括以广播〔by broadcasting〕形式进行诽谤)。尽管两者在一般人看来属于同义语，并且在许多方面都受相同原则的调整，但它们之间还是存在如下重大区别：第一，书面诽谤不仅仅是一种可以被起诉的侵权行为，而且也可以构成犯罪，口头诽谤则只是一种民事侵权行为。第二，书面诽谤在所有案件中均可因该行为本身〔per se〕而被起诉，而口头诽谤则只在特定的案件中才可因行为本身而被起诉，在其他案件中须由原告证明存在实际损害方可起诉。但这两者的区别也受到了严厉的批评，认为这将导致严重不公。关于口头诽谤的构成，英国法律将之区分为两种情况：１诽谤原告犯有作为首犯应受监禁处罚的犯罪，或者诬称其患有应与社会隔离的传染病，或者对其职位、职业、称呼、商业或业务进行诋毁；或者以不贞或通奸诽谤妇女。上述行为属于以行为本身即可受到起诉的口头诽谤〔slander actionable per se〕。２除此以外的诽谤行为，如果因此导致原告受有特定的实际损害的，则属于因实际损害而受到起诉的口头诽谤〔slander actionable by reason of special damage〕。美国法亦将口头诽谤分为两种：因行为本身而构成的口头诽谤〔slander per se〕与因存在实际损害而构成的口头诽谤〔slander per quod〕。美国《侵权法第二次重述》〔Restatement, Second, Torts〕认为口头诽谤的实质要件包括：１涉及他人的虚假或诋毁性陈述；２不享有豁免特权而向第三方进行传播；３公开方具有过失以上的过错；４存在无须造成损害即可起诉的诉因或存在因此造成的实际损害。 (→defamation; libel)
public figure. A person who has achieved fame or notoriety or who has voluntarily become involved in a public controversy. • A public figure (or public official) suing for defamation must prove that the defendant acted with actual malice. New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 84 S.Ct. 710 (1964). — Also termed
inducement, n. 1. The act or process of enticing or persuading another person to take a certain course of action. See fraud in the inducement under FRAUD. active inducement. The act of intentionally causing a third party to infringe a valid patent. • Active inducement requires proof of (1) an actual intent to cause the