Tillman v. Willis
Supreme Court of Georgia
Libel. Practice in the Supreme Court. Charge of Court. Pleadings. New trial. Before Judge Crawford. Muscogee Superior Court. November Term, 1877. Willis brought case against Tillman for $20,000.00 damages, alleged to have been sustained by plaintiff on account of the publication of a libel on him by defendant.
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Libel. Practice in the Supreme Court. Charge of Court. Pleadings. New trial. Before Judge Crawford. Muscogee Superior Court. November Term, 1877. Willis brought case against Tillman for $20,000.00 damages, alleged to have been sustained by plaintiff on account of the publication of a libel on him by defendant. The declaration, after stating previous good name, etc., alleged that defendant, maliciously intending to impair the same, to bring plaintiff into public scandal, infamy and disgrace, and to deprive him of the means of supporting himself and family by honest and industrious efforts,…
1Opinion of the Court
Bleckley, Justice.
1. To publish a man in a newspaper as a thief tends to injure his reputation, and exposes him to public hatred and contempt. If false and malicious, such a publication is libelous. Code, §2974. The distinction between written or printed defamation and oral slander, in reference to being actionable irrespective of special damages, is recognized by the Code. Compare §§2974, 4521, 2977, In the argument, it was urged that the publication did not apply the epithet “thieves” to the plaintiff, except by way of inference from his having given notice of his application for a…
2Cited by4 opinions
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- Franklin v. EvansCourt of Appeals of Georgia · 1937
- King v. LewisSupreme Court of Georgia · 1939
- Ingram v. KendrickCourt of Appeals of Georgia · 1934