Coffin v. Coffin
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
This action was originally commenced at the Court of Common Picas for the county of Nantucket, to which both the parties belong, October term, 1805. The declaration is in case for slan- [ *2 ] der, and after the usual allegations respecting *the plaintiff’s good name, fame, and reputation, charges the defendant with speaking and publishing, in the hearing of Benjamin Russell and other good citizens of the commonwealth, of and concerning the plaintiff, the following false,…
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This action was originally commenced at the Court of Common Picas for the county of Nantucket, to which both the parties belong, October term, 1805. The declaration is in case for slan- [ *2 ] der, and after the usual allegations respecting *the plaintiff’s good name, fame, and reputation, charges the defendant with speaking and publishing, in the hearing of Benjamin Russell and other good citizens of the commonwealth, of and concerning the plaintiff, the following false, feigned, scandalous, malicious, and opprobrious words, viz.: “ That convict,” thereby meaning that the plaintiff had been…
1Opinion of the Court
The Court took time to consider the motion, and at an after day in the term, the following opinion was delivered, by
Parsons, C. J.
The plaintiff has commenced an action of the case, demanding damages of the defendant for an injury to his character, committed by the defendant, in maliciously uttering and publishing defamatory words, which imported that the plaintiff had committed felony by robbing the Nantucket Bank.
[ * 24 ] * To this demand the defendant pleaded not guilty, and also, by leave of the Court, a special plea in bar, justifying the speaking of the words, because, as he alleged, at…
2Cases cited10 opinions
- Coleman v. SouthwickNew York Supreme Court · 1812
- Douglass v. TouseyNew York Supreme Court · 1829
- Root v. King & VerplanckNew York Supreme Court · 1827
- Kilham v. WardMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1806
- Tillotson v. CheethamNew York Supreme Court · 1806
5 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by170 opinions
- Scheuer v. RhodesSupreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Tenney v. BrandhoveSupreme Court of the United States · 1951
- Kilbourn v. ThompsonSupreme Court of the United States · 1881
- United States v. BrewsterSupreme Court of the United States · 1972
- Galloway v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1943
165 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.