Alexander-Theodotou v. Kounis
Case Law- Country
- Country Location
Latitude: 52.32950805122076
Longitude: -1.4047851562500706
- Country Location (linked Case Law)
- United Kingdom
- Decision Date
- 16 de abr. de 2019
- Case Status
- Closed
- Case Outcome (Procedural)
- Dismissed
- Case Outcome (Disposition)
- Administrative Measures/Administrative Sanctions to Protect FoE
- Declaratory Relief
- Injunction or Order Granted
- Judgment in Favor of Defendant
- Keywords
- Defamation
- Social Media
- Judicial Body
- First Instance Court
- Case Number
- HQ18M00041
- Case Summary
The High Court of Justice Queen’s Bench Division dismissed a libel action on the grounds that there existed no serious harm to the reputation of the claimants under the Defamation Act of 2013. Alexander-Theodotou brought the action in relation to a Facebook Post and webinars that allegedly implied her law firm failed to protect the best interests of her clients who were victims of a real-estate scandal in Cyrus, one of whom had committed suicide after losing his life savings in the scheme. Due to the publications, she claimed she had been personally exposed to “hate, contempt and ridicule,” and that she had lost clients resulting in serious financial losses. While the Court found the meaning of the Facebook post was “unquestionably defamatory,” evidence failed to prove serious harm. After assessing the gravity of the statements and the context of the publication, the Court concluded that not many of the readers of the Facebook post could have identified the claimant and those that could have, were already “dissatisfied ex-clients” or others who had a poor impression of the law firm prior to the post.
- Case Significance
The decision establishes a binding or persuasive precedent within its jurisdiction.
- Source URL
- Columbia Global Freedom of Expression