Canadian Libel and Slander Actions is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to litigating a libel or slander action from the initial meeting with the client to the jury charge. It surveys more than 500 leading cases in Canada and elsewhere, providing expert insight into judicial interpretation of concepts such as express malice, fair comment, qualified and absolute privilege, justification and consent. It includes separate chapters on pleadings, discovery, evidence, damages, appeals, and Charter issues.

The book is written by two of Canada's most experienced and respected practitioners of defamation and media-related law. It is destined to be a classic in the field.

Summary Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1: Libel and Slander
CHAPTER 2: Defamation Actions to Avoid
CHAPTER 3: Should You Sue?
CHAPTER 4: Response to a Lawsuit
CHAPTER 5: Injunctions
CHAPTER 6: Notice of Intended Action and Limitation Defences
CHAPTER 7: Parties
CHAPTER 8: Jurisdictional Issues
CHAPTER 9: Apologies and Retractions
CHAPTER 10: Security for Costs Under Defamation Statutes
CHAPTER 11: Joinder
CHAPTER 12: Trial by Jury
CHAPTER 13: Identification of the Plaintiff
CHAPTER 14: Publication and Republication
CHAPTER 15: Defamatory Meaning
CHAPTER 16: Express Malice
CHAPTER 17: Fair Comment
CHAPTER 18: Qualified and Statutory Privilege
CHAPTER 19: Qualified Privilege and Publication to the World at Large
CHAPTER 20: Absolute Privilege
CHAPTER 21: Justification
CHAPTER 22: Consent
CHAPTER 23: Pleadings
CHAPTER 24: Polly Peck and Pizza Pizza
CHAPTER 25: Pre-trial Disposition of Claims and Defences
CHAPTER 26: Discovery of Documents
CHAPTER 27: Examination for Discovery
CHAPTER 28: Evidence at Trial
CHAPTER 29: Charge and Questions to the Jury
CHAPTER 30: Damages
CHAPTER 31: Appeals
CHAPTER 32: Related Causes of Action
CHAPTER 33: Charter Issues
CHAPTER 34: Insurance Issues
TABLE OF CASES
INDEX

RELATED LINKS

Roger D. McConchie

David A. Potts

"This is now the best book on libel in the market. It is better than the English texts and a wonderful aid to counsel at trial or to a solicitor giving an opinion on libel. It is completely up-to-date and is a sheer pleasure and undiluted delight to read. It is better than a great mystery."

- Julian Porter, Q.C.

"On many subject areas this new text is, quite simply, the best published treatment of Canadian defamation law. This is true of such key subjects as parties, apology, express malice, pleading, particulars, evidence at trial and jury trial. ...
This book attains reliable scholarship on some pretty tricky subjects. It deserves to be consulted first."

- David Sutherland in The Advocate, July 2005