Hall v. Elgin Dairy Co.

Citations

• 15 Wash. 542
• 46 P. 1049
• 1896 Wash. LEXIS 246

Syllabus

<p>LIBEL — EVIDENCE OF GOOD CHARACTER — JUSTIFICATION — RIGHT TO OPEN AND CLOSE.</p> <p>In an action for libel, plaintiff is not entitled to prove his general good reputation, when defendants, in order to sustain their plea of justification, have put in evidence specific instances of misconduct on the part of plaintiff.</p> <p>In an action for libel, when the publication has been admitted by defendants and a defense of justification set up, the burden of proof is on defendants and they are entitled to open and close the case to the jury.</p> <p>Where the basis of an action for libel is the publication of a circular by defendants charging that plaintiff as a former employee had admitted the misappropriation of money belonging to defendants, in order to establish their plea of justification defendants are only required to prove such confession, and are not required to go further and prove that plaintiff had actually misappropriated their money.</p>