Defamation: Comparative Law and Practice

Defamation: Comparative Law and Practice offers a timely and original investigation into defamation law and litigation practice in England, Australia and the United States, combining close legal analysis and extensive empirical research to examine central aspects of defamation law.The book centres on two themes: the treatment of a publication's meaning, and the protection of media speech by privilege defences and constitutional doctrines. What role does a publication's meaning play? How is meaning dealt with in defamation law in different jurisdictions? How is media speech protected by qualified privilege in England and Australia and by constitutional rules in the US? How do defamation laws and litigation practices affect the ways in which reputation and free speech are protected in each country? By drawing on substantial research in England, Australia and the US, the book answers these questions and re-evaluates defamation law's most important doctrinal issues.Defamation: Comparative Law and Practice is a groundbreaking contribution to legal knowledge, and will be useful to researchers, academics, students and practitioners working in media and communications law. It will enable lawyers outside the US to make more informed use of US law and commentary and it sets out, in an accessible manner, the intricacies of English and Australian defamation law and practice for US legal readers.