Rustgard v. Troy
District Court, D. Alaska
The plaintiff brings an action for $20,000 compensatory damages and $5,000 punitive damages against the defendants on account of an alleged false and libelous article which was published in the Alaska Daily Empire on the 8th of September, 1920, concerning the plaintiff while he was a candidate for the office of Attorney General of the territory of Alaska; he having been duly nominated as the regular Republican candidate for that office, to be voted upon at the general…
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The plaintiff brings an action for $20,000 compensatory damages and $5,000 punitive damages against the defendants on account of an alleged false and libelous article which was published in the Alaska Daily Empire on the 8th of September, 1920, concerning the plaintiff while he was a candidate for the office of Attorney General of the territory of Alaska; he having been duly nominated as the regular Republican candidate for that office, to be voted upon at the general election to be held in the territory on the 2d of November, 1920. The defendant Empire Printing Company is a corporation, and…
1Opinion of the Court
BROWN, District Judge.
Defendants interpose a general demurrer to the complaint, and this demurrer has been submitted to_ the court without argument.
“Libels affecting tbe character of private persons may be classified according to their objects:
“I. Libels which impute to a person the commission of a crime.
“II. Libels which have a tendency to injure him in his office, profession, calling or trade.
“III. Libels which hold him up to scorn and ridicule, and to feelings of contempt or execration, impair him in the enjoyment of general society, and injure those imperfect rights of friendly…
2Cases cited10 opinions
- Terwilliger v. . WandsNew York Court of Appeals · 1858
- Sillars v. CollierMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1890
- Donaghue v. GaffySupreme Court of Connecticut · 1885
- Pratt v. Pioneer-Press Co.Supreme Court of Minnesota · 1886
- Stone v. CooperNew York Supreme Court · 1845
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