29 Aug 2017
NEWTON v DUNN [2017] NZHC 2083
- Citation
- (2017) 14 NZELR 621
- Court
- High Court
The Court found the Leovs authorised and participated in the 10 September 2012 letter (agency/co‑publisher liability) for specific defamatory passages; the natural and ordinary meanings of those passages supported imputations that the plaintiff bullied others, destroyed lives, misled the Board, was dismissed and was mentally unwell; the Leovs failed to establish truth or honest opinion defences for those imputations; the joint tortfeasor release did not apply as there was no unequivocal settlement with the writer; the appropriate primary remedy was a s26 recommendation for correction and apol…