Twin Coast Newspapers, Inc. v. Superior Court

Opinion

FUKUTO, J.

I

In a libel case, by statute, a newspaper owner, by publishing a sufficient retraction, gains immunity from liability for general or punitive damages, remaining responsible only for any special damages suffered by the defamed plaintiff. To be sufficient for this purpose, the retraction must appear “in substantially as conspicuous a manner in said newspaper ... as were the statements claimed to be libelous.” (Civ. Code, § 48a.) 1 The issues presented in this mandate proceeding are whether the sufficiency of the retraction is a question for court or for jury, and, if the…