Giles v. Heyward

MCFADDEN, Judge.

Edward Heyward filed a defamation action against Daniel Giles, alleging slander per se. The case was tried before a jury, which returned a verdict in favor of Heyward, awarding him $125,000 in damages. The trial court entered judgment in that amount, and Giles appeals.

Giles argues that the doctrine of the separation of church and state precluded the trial court from exercising jurisdiction over this matter; but as the defamation claim is founded on accusations of conduct that would constitute crimes under the laws of Georgia, there was no impermissible inquiry into…