Land v. Tampa Times Publishing Co.

Citations

• 68 Fla. 546
• 67 So. 130

Syllabus

<p>1. A civil action for libel will lie, when there has been a false and unprivileged publication by letter or otherwise, which exposes a persomto distrust, hatred, contempt, ridicule or ob-_ loquy or which causes such person to be avoided, or which has a tendency to injure such person in his office, occupation, business or employment.</p> <p>2. Where a publication is false and not privileged, and is such that its natural and proximate consequence necessarily causes injury to a person in his personal, social, official or business relations of life, wrong and injury are presumed or implied, and such publication is actionable per se.</p> <p>3. The malicious publication in h newspaper article containing a false statement that the plaintiff “hangs around in a disreputable part of” a named city, is not privileged, and its natural and proximate consequences being to cause an injury to him in his personal, social or business relations in life, such a publication is libelous per se, making an allegation of special damages unnecessary. ’</p>