Liability for tortious communications 700
Not offered in 1995
One 2-hour seminar weekly over 13 weeks
Defamation and disclosure of private information. This subject involves a study of three types of tortious communications. First those statements, essentially false, which lower a person's character in the estimation of reasonable people or which cause the person about whom the statement is made to be hated, shunned or ridiculed by reasonable people. These matters are traditionally discussed by those dealing with the tort of defamation. Secondly, the subject will concern itself with those statements both true and false which could be said to invade the true privacy interest, the interest in retaining individual personality. Finally, the subject will deal with the liability of a person who, having been entrusted with confidential information, wrongfully uses the information or discloses it to a third party. While there will be a strong emphasis on law reform in the subject, a thorough knowledge of the technical law, both substantive and procedural, will be attempted to be presented.
Assessment
Take-home examination: 40% * Research paper (6000 words): 60%