Craney v. Donovan
Supreme Court of Connecticut
Action to recover damages for alleged slander, with a count for libel, brought to the Superior Court in New London County and tried to the jury before Reed, J.; verdict and judgment for the plaintiff for $5,500, and appeal by the defendant.
1Opinion of the CourtWheeler, J.
The complaint charges, in the first three counts, three separate slanders, and in the fourth count a libel. As to the first, second and fourth counts, the defendant admits the speaking and writing alleged. The charge in each count is adultery and hence constitutes words actionable in themselves.
The legal consequence of the speaking of the defamatory words was the creation of a legal presumption that the slanders were false and made without legal excuse, that is, with malice, and hence the plaintiff, in the absence of proof of the truth of the charge or that it was a privileged communication,…
2Cases cited19 opinions
- Burt v. Advertiser Newspaper Co.Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1891
- Callahan v. IngramSupreme Court of Missouri · 1894
- Hanna v. SweeneySupreme Court of Connecticut · 1906
- Hassett v. CarrollSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1911
- Linsley v. BushnellSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1842
14 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by23 opinions
- Northwestern National Casualty Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin v. Edward A. McNulty and Walter Scott SmithCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 1962
- State v. MoynahanSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1973
- Urban v. Hartford Gas Co.Supreme Court of Connecticut · 1952
- Raia v. TopehiusSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1973
- Yavis v. SullivanSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1950
18 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.