Humphrey v. National Semiconductor Corp.

Such is the antiquity of these libel cases that the initial pleadings predate the effective date of the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure. 2 Humphrey was a salesman for New England Technical Sales (NETS) which, in turn, acted as a manufacturer’s representative for the New England area of the defendant National Semiconductor Corp. (National). The de famatory material about which Humphrey complains appeared in a letter dated July 20, 1971, which the defendant Green wrote to the president of NETS. Green was the northeast regional sales manager of National. The subject of Green’s letter was…