Morgan v Times Newspapers Ltd

Morgan v Times Newspapers Ltd

The article's meaning, as understood by the reasonable reader, is that there is reasonable cause to suspect the Claimant was professionally negligent in her prosecutorial decisions, which is defamatory at common law and has a tendency to cause serious harm to her professional reputation.

Parties
Claimant: Alison Morgan; Defendant: Times Newspapers Limited
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
02 July 2019
Procedural Posture
Libel / Trial of Preliminary Issues
Outcome
Preliminary issues determined in favour of the Claimant
Legal Topics
Libel, Professional Negligence, Threshold of Seriousness, Meaning of Publication

Case Brief

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Alison Morgan

Claimant

Times Newspapers Limited

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Libel / Trial of Preliminary 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 reputation of the Claimant

Ratio Decidendi

The article's meaning, as understood by the reasonable reader, is that there is reasonable cause to suspect the Claimant was professionally negligent in her prosecutorial decisions, which is defamatory at common law and has a tendency to cause serious harm to her professional reputation.

Court Disposition

Preliminary issues determined in favour of the Claimant

Orders

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