COLEMAN & ANOR V JOHN FAIRFAX PUBLICATIONS PTY LTD [2003] NSWSC 564

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : COLEMAN & ANOR V JOHN FAIRFAX PUBLICATIONS PTY LTD [2003] NSWSC 564 HEARING DATE(S) : 19 March 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 25 June 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Levine J DECISION : 1. I find the matter complained of incapable as a matter of law of defaming the plaintiffs in terms of the imputations pleaded in the statement of claim. ; 2. There will be a verdict for the defendant in respect of each of the imputations pleaded in the statement of claim.; 3. The plaintiffs are to pay the defendant's costs.

CATCHWORDS : Imputations - capacity - matter complained of incapable of being understood otherwise than as humerous - no libel Anderson v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1986) 6 NSWLR 99 Darbyshir v Daily Examiner Pty Ltd (Levine J, unreported, 29 August 1997) Donoghue v Hayes (1831) Hayes (Ir Ex) R 265 Falkenberg v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (NSWSC, unreported, 16 December 1994) Galea v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd (Levine J, unreported, 20 February 1998) Gordon v Amalgamated Television Services Pty Ltd [1980] 2 NSWLR 410 Graham Charles Evans v John Fairfax Group Pty Ltd [1993] ACTSC 7 CASES CITED : Greek Herald Pty Ltd v Nikolopoulos & Ors (2002) 54 NSWLR 165 Hepburn v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (1983) 2 NSWLR 664 Livingstone-Thomas v Associated Newspapers (1969) 90 WN (NSW) Pt 1,223 in May Wan Khor v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [1999] VSC 38 McGuinness v J T Publishing Australia (Levine J, unreported, 21 May 1999) Ron Hodgson (Trading Pty Ltd) v Belvedere Motors (Hurstville) Pty Ltd [1971] 1 NSWLR 472 Waterhouse v Perkins & Ors (SCNSW, unreported, 10 October 1996) Wild v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd (Levine J, unreported 8 August 1997) Youssupoff v Metro Goldwyn Meyer Pictures Ltd (1934) 50 TLR 5A1 CRAIG COLEMAN (First plaintiff)