Mitan v. Campbell

The question before us in this defamation case is whether the period of limitations 1 runs from the date of the alleged defamatory statement made by defendant or the date the statement was republished by a third party. We conclude that the limitations period ran from the date of the original alleged defamatory statement. Therefore, we reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeals and reinstate the circuit court’s judgment of summary disposition.

I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Defendant was the public relations director of the Department of Consumer and Industry Services. On February 22, 2000,…