Morgan v Times Newspapers Ltd [2019] EWHC 1525 (QB) (02 July 2019)

Morgan v Times Newspapers Ltd [2019] EWHC 1525 (QB) (02 July 2019)

The article's meaning, as pleaded by the claimant, is that there is reasonable cause to suspect professional negligence in her prosecutorial decisions regarding Ben Stokes and Alex Hales. This meaning is defamatory at common law and has a tendency to cause serious harm to her professional reputation. The law does not require an imputation of habitual or general incompetence for professional defamation; a particular instance suffices if it adversely affects reputation.

Citation
[2019] EWHC 1525 (QB)
Parties
Claimant: Alison Morgan; Defendant: Times Newspapers Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
02 July 2019
Procedural Posture
Libel Action / Trial of Preliminary Issues
Outcome
Preliminary issues decided in favour of the claimant.
Legal Topics
Libel, Professional Reputation, Threshold of Seriousness, Meaning of Publication
Defamation Media Law Libel Professional Reputation Threshold of Seriousness Meaning of Publication

Case Brief

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Parties

Alison Morgan

Claimant

Times Newspapers Limited

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Libel Action / Trial of Preliminary Issues

Legal Issues

  1. 1 True meaning of the article
  2. 2 Whether the article is defamatory at common law
  3. 3 Whether the article has a tendency to cause serious harm to the claimant's reputation

Ratio Decidendi

The article's meaning, as pleaded by the claimant, is that there is reasonable cause to suspect professional negligence in her prosecutorial decisions regarding Ben Stokes and Alex Hales. This meaning is defamatory at common law and has a tendency to cause serious harm to her professional reputation. The law does not require an imputation of habitual or general incompetence for professional defamation; a particular instance suffices if it adversely affects reputation.

Court Disposition

Preliminary issues decided in favour of the claimant.

Orders

  • The meaning of the article is as pleaded by the claimant.
  • The article is defamatory at common law.