Fin v. Middlebury College

The plaintiff brought a civil action against the defendants seeking compensatory and exemplary damages for an alleged libellous statement made against him in a letter dated August 30, 1971, addressed to and received by the president of the college at which he was employed. The cause was heard by the court without a jury. Upon the evidence presented concerning the context in which the statement was made and the manner in which it was interpreted by its recipient, the court found that the language at issue did not warrant a finding of libel. It then found that the plaintiff had failed to prove…