Hatch v. Lane
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Tort for publishing in the Taunton Daily Gazette the following notice, signed by the defendant, concerning the plaintiff: “ A young man named George Hatch having left my employ, and taken upon himself the privilege of collecting my bills, this is to give notice that he has nothing further to do with my business.”
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Tort for publishing in the Taunton Daily Gazette the following notice, signed by the defendant, concerning the plaintiff: “ A young man named George Hatch having left my employ, and taken upon himself the privilege of collecting my bills, this is to give notice that he has nothing further to do with my business.” At the trial in the superior court, before Wilkinson, J., the defendant justified the publication on the ground that its occasion was such as to make it a privileged communication. The evidence as to the truth of the charge was contradictory. It appeared that the plaintiff was…
1Opinion of the CourtWells, J.
The case shows that the defendant was entitled to the benefit of his plea of privilege. No exception was taken to the ruling on that point. The exception is to the refusal of the court below .to rule as requested by the plaintiff; “as matter of law, that the whole community had no such interest corresponding to the interest of the defendant in the subject matter of the publication, as would authorize him to make it through the medium of a public newspaper.” The question thus raised relates only to the mode adopted to make the communication to those for whom it was properly intended. They were…
2Cited by8 opinions
- Coleman v. MacLennanSupreme Court of Kansas · 1908
- King v. PattersonSupreme Court of New Jersey · 1887
- Arnold v. IngramWisconsin Supreme Court · 1913
- Putnam v. BrowneWisconsin Supreme Court · 1916
- Tierney v. RuppertAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York · 1912
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