Opinion ID: 1550220
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Does The Complaint State A Cause of Action For Libel?

Text: It has long been stated as the law in this State that a written defamation will be actionable if it imputes something which intends to disgrace one, lower him in, or exclude him from, society, or bring him into contempt or ridicule. This rule has been in effect in this State since the case of Rice v. Simmons, Ct.Err. & App.1838, 2 Har. 417, and was followed by our Superior Court in the case of Snavely v. Booth, 6 W.W.Harr. 378, 176 A. 649, and later by a number of other cases. This definition was reaffirmed by this Court in 1952 in the case of Klein v. Sunbeam Corporation, 8 Terry 526, 94 A.2d 385. It is true that the sting of a libel may sometimes be contained in a word or sentence used in a headline to the body of the article, even though the facts are correctly set forth in the body. As newspaper articles are written, the headline is a part of the article and a defendant may be liable merely in consequence of such headline where, without it, he would have had a complete answer to the action. Shubert v. Variety, Inc., 128 Misc. 428, 219 N.Y.S. 233. It is also true, as contended by defendant, that under other circumstances actionable language which may be found in the headline is cured by language found in the body of the article itself, Brinkley v. Fishbein, 134 Kan. 833, 8 P.2d 318. See Corbett v. American Newspapers, Inc., 1 Terry 10, 5 A.2d 245. We do not here pass upon the question as to which line of decisions is applicable in this case. We shall assume, as contended by plaintiff, that the statement in the headline, if it is actionable, is not cured by the language of the body of the article. We shall further consider the effect of the headline apart from the article itself. We do not think that the language of the headline is libelous. The word lashes as it appears in the headline, of itself, conveys only the meaning that the Board sharply disagreed with the language used by plaintiff. Considering the article as a whole along with the background information offered by plaintiff, it amounts at most only to a play on words, the humor of which, very understandably, escaped plaintiff. Defendant's attempt at a pun was, to say the least, not in good taste. It was to plaintiff a pistol let off at the ear; not a feather to tickle the intellect. We feel that the use of such word, particularly in the setting in which it was used in this case, was not only inaccurate but unfortunate. It tended greatly to accentuate the adverse criticism of plaintiff appearing in the article. Moreover, the headline was inaccurate for the criticism did not emanate from the Board as a body, but from only one of its members and the headline further accentuated the criticism. But we do not think that the statement was libelous. There was no attack upon plaintiff, either personally or in his professional capacity. While strong disapproval of plaintiff's remark was indicated therein, we find nothing which in any manner intended to degrade defendant or reflect upon his character or injure him in his profession. See Snavely v. Booth, supra. Plaintiff as a Judge of the Family Court of New Castle County is a public figure. The article related to plaintiff's action during the course of a public trial. What he said and did in his public capacity is subject to comment and reasonable criticism  and properly so. As far as this action is concerned, plaintiff is in no position to complain if at times such criticism becomes biting, or even unfair, as long as it does not come within the definition of libel as laid down in the decisions of this State. As plaintiff so fully demonstrated in his brief, the subject of the whipping post has long been a highly controversial subject of discussion of this State. When plaintiff made the statement which he did, he knew, or should have known, that he must expect to receive sharp criticism for his remarks from a number of sources. He cannot complain of such criticism. Neither can he complain if such criticism becomes a matter of public information through the medium of the press. See Prosser on Torts (2d ed.), p. 621. Even the United States Supreme Court from the time of its inception down to the present time has not been immune from criticism much greater than the alleged affront to plaintiff's dignity of which he complains. See Snavely v. Booth, supra.