1. Celeste, a final year undergraduate student at Troublewood University, is
running for president of her local student union. The campaign has been
pretty acrimonious. Her rival is Nick, a fellow student. During the campaign,
Nick puts election posters up all over the university campus containing the
following allegations:
(a) Celeste does not have the body of a supermodel and students should
only elect a “fit” candidate.
(b) Celeste cheated in her second year exams and is untrustworthy.
Celeste had to re-sit two of her second year exams the previous August
after suffering a family bereavement. She has never been found guilty of
cheating in any university examination. However, she gave an interview
several months ago to the student newspaper in which she talked about how
much she liked to “cheat at board games” when playing with her family at
Christmas.
Ed, the editor of the student newspaper, The Voice, publishes a story about
the “negative and nasty tone” of the rivals’ campaigns, with the heading:
“Can we really trust them?” The article includes quotes from Nick’s
campaign posters, making clear where they are taken from. Photos of the
two candidates feature beside the story, accompanied by the captions
“Naughty Nick?” and “Crafty Celeste?” Ed does not ask either candidate for
comment on the article prior to its publication.
Advise Nick and Ed as to any liability they may face in the law of defamation.
2. Stan is a world-famous actor. Last month, the police searched his home in
connection with an investigation into sexual harassment claims. The search
is reported live on a local radio station, London Gossip Live!. Following the
raid, Stan was questioned by the police but has not been charged.
A national newspaper, The Weekly Arrow, plans to publish pictures of Stan
having lunch in a fashionable London restaurant with his nephew and niece
in its next edition. It also plans to publish a video of a wife-swapping party
that Stan attended on its website tomorrow. Both Stan and his wife, Miriam,
can be seen in the video, although it is grainy and of poor quality. The video
contains no explicit footage.
The editor of The Weekly Arrow has contacted Stan’s agent for comment
prior to the publications. Stan has not responded.
Advise Stan whether he can successfully take any legal action to protect his
and his family’s privacy.
running for president of her local student union. The campaign has been
pretty acrimonious. Her rival is Nick, a fellow student. During the campaign,
Nick puts election posters up all over the university campus containing the
following allegations:
(a) Celeste does not have the body of a supermodel and students should
only elect a “fit” candidate.
(b) Celeste cheated in her second year exams and is untrustworthy.
Celeste had to re-sit two of her second year exams the previous August
after suffering a family bereavement. She has never been found guilty of
cheating in any university examination. However, she gave an interview
several months ago to the student newspaper in which she talked about how
much she liked to “cheat at board games” when playing with her family at
Christmas.
Ed, the editor of the student newspaper, The Voice, publishes a story about
the “negative and nasty tone” of the rivals’ campaigns, with the heading:
“Can we really trust them?” The article includes quotes from Nick’s
campaign posters, making clear where they are taken from. Photos of the
two candidates feature beside the story, accompanied by the captions
“Naughty Nick?” and “Crafty Celeste?” Ed does not ask either candidate for
comment on the article prior to its publication.
Advise Nick and Ed as to any liability they may face in the law of defamation.
2. Stan is a world-famous actor. Last month, the police searched his home in
connection with an investigation into sexual harassment claims. The search
is reported live on a local radio station, London Gossip Live!. Following the
raid, Stan was questioned by the police but has not been charged.
A national newspaper, The Weekly Arrow, plans to publish pictures of Stan
having lunch in a fashionable London restaurant with his nephew and niece
in its next edition. It also plans to publish a video of a wife-swapping party
that Stan attended on its website tomorrow. Both Stan and his wife, Miriam,
can be seen in the video, although it is grainy and of poor quality. The video
contains no explicit footage.
The editor of The Weekly Arrow has contacted Stan’s agent for comment
prior to the publications. Stan has not responded.
Advise Stan whether he can successfully take any legal action to protect his
and his family’s privacy.
