Actual Malice - Law Dictionary Search Results
Home Dictionary Name: actual maliceactual malice
actual malice see malice ...
malice
malice 1 a : the intention or desire to cause harm (as death, bodily injury, or property damage) to another through an unlawful or wrongful act without justification or excuse b : wanton disregard for the rights of others or for the value of human life c : an improper or evil motive or purpose [if cannot be proved or a benign purpose can be imagined "David Kairys"] d : actual malice in this entry actual malice 1 : malice proved by evidence to exist or have existed in one that inflicts unjustified harm on another: as a : an intent to injure or kill b : malice called also express malice malice in fact 2 a : the knowledge that defamatory statements esp. regarding a public figure are false b : reckless disregard of the truth see also public figure New York Times Co. v. Sullivan in the Important Cases section implied malice : malice inferred from the nature or consequences of a harmful act done without justification or excuse ;also : malice inferred from subjective awarenes...
Malice
Malice [fr. malitia, Lat.], a formed design of doing mischief to another, technically called malitia pr'cogitata, or malice prepense or aforethought. It is either express, as when one with a sedate and deliberate mind and formed design kills another, which formed design is evidenced by certain circumstances discovering such intentions, as lying in wait, antecedent menaces, former grudges, and concerted schemes to do him some bodily harm; or implied, as where one wilfully poisons another; in such a deliberate act the law presumes malice, though no particular enmity can be proved. The nature of implied malice is also illustrated by the maxim, 'Culpa lata dolo 'quiparatur'-when negligence reaches a certain point it is the same as intentional wrong-'Every one must be taken to intend that which his the natural consequence of his actions'-if any one acts in exactly the same way as he would do it he bore express malice to another, he cannot be allowed to say he does not, 4 Steph. Com.'Malice ...
express malice
express malice : actual malice at malice ...
privilege
privilege [Latin privilegium law affecting a specific person, special right, from privus private + leg- lex law] 1 : a right, license, or exemption from duty or liability granted as a special benefit, advantage, or favor: as a : an exemption from liability where an action is deemed to be justifiable (as in the case of self-defense) or because of the requirements of a position or office ;also : the affirmative defense that an action is privileged compare excuse absolute privilege : a privilege that exempts a person from liability esp. for defamation regardless of intent or motive ;specif : a privilege that exempts high public officials (as legislators) from liability for statements made while acting in their official capacity without regard to intent or malice qualified privilege : a privilege esp. in the law of defamation that may be defeated esp. by a showing of actual malice called also conditional privilege b : an exemption from a requirement to disclose information (as fo...
libel
libel [Anglo-French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book] 1 : complaint used esp. in admiralty and divorce cases 2 a : a defamatory statement or representation esp. in the form of written or printed words ;specif : a false published statement that injures an individual's reputation (as in business) or otherwise exposes him or her to public contempt b : the publication of such a libel c : the crime or tort of publishing a libel see also single publication rule New York Times Co. v. Sullivan in the Important Cases section compare defamation, slander NOTE: Although libel is defined under state case law or statute, the U.S. Supreme Court has enumerated some First Amendment protections that apply to matters of public concern. In New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, the Court held that in order to recover damages a public person (as a celebrity or politician) who alleges libel (as by a newspaper) has to prove that “the statement was made with ‘actual malice’ &...
limited purpose public figure
limited purpose public figure : a person who voluntarily and prominently participates in a public controversy for the purpose of influencing its outcome and who is thus required as a public figure to prove actual malice in a defamation suit called also limited public figure compare public figure ...
plead
plead plead·ed or: pled also: plead [pled] plead·ing [Anglo-French plaider to argue in a court of law, from Old French plaid legal action, trial more at plea ] vi 1 : to make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding ;esp : to answer the pleading or charge of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts [the defendant shall be given a copy of the indictment or information before the defendant is called upon to "Kansas Statutes Annotated"] see also alternative 2 : to make a specific plea [ not guilty] ;also : to make a plea of guilty [agreed to to the lesser charge] vt 1 : to allege in or by way of a pleading : state in a pleading [unless plaintiff s and proves facts showing actual malice, he cannot recover punitive damages "Kumaran v. Brotman, 617 N.E.2d 191 (1993)"] [ a case of fraudulent conveyance] 2 : to offer as an excuse [cannot ignorance of the law] plead·able adj plead·er n ...
privileged communication
privileged communication 1 : confidential communication 2 a : a defamatory communication that does not expose the party making it to the liability that would follow from it if not privileged called also absolutely privileged communication b : a defamatory statement made by one person to another who is in a confidential relation (as that of a prospective employer) or who has an interest therein that may upon proof of bad faith or actual malice be deprived of its privileged character called also conditionally privileged communication ...
public figure
public figure : an individual or entity that has acquired fame or notoriety or has participated in a particular public controversy see also limited purpose public figure compare public official NOTE: A public figure must prove actual malice in order to prevail in a defamation action. ...
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