Harman v. Belk

GEER, Judge.

Plaintiff C.D. Harman appeals a judgment entered on a jury verdict finding that defendant William I. Belk did not slander plaintiff during the course of a deposition in another lawsuit. We hold that any error in the conduct of the trial was harmless because the trial court should have granted defendant’s motion for a directed verdict following the close of plaintiffs evidence. The deposition was a judicial proceeding and Belle’s comments were not palpably irrelevant to that proceeding. The comments were, therefore, absolutely privileged.

Factual Background

Defendant Belk was engaged…