Chicago Business Litigation Lawyer Blog
Under Illinois law, various defenses are recognized for libel actions. The first defense is the innocent construction doctrine. This doctrine posits that if a statement could be construed in a non-defamatory way, it cannot be considered defamatory.
Another defense is the expression of opinion. Statements of opinion, even if they are defamatory, do not result in a defamation claim if the statement cannot be reasonably interpreted as stating actual facts. The statement must have a precise and readily understood meaning, be verifiable, and its literary or social context should signal that it has factual content.
The defense of truth is also recognized. A defamatory statement can be defended if it is substantially true and was published with good motives and for justifiable ends. This is reflected in the Illinois Constitution which states: “In trials for libel, both civil and criminal, the truth, when published with good motives and for justifiable ends, shall be a sufficient defense”. It is enough to show that the publication is “substantially true”, or that the “gist”, the “sting”, or the “substantial truth” of the defamation can be justified.
The defense of ‘fair comment’ is another possible defense. In addition, there is a defense of privilege as a means for redressing grievances. Continue reading ›