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Coverage of Siemer case

By Steven | January 30, 2009

Jock Anderson of Truth writes to say the Siemer decision didn’t slip under his radar. So those readers who take a regular interest in his august organ (a hideous image, yes) will have read about the result a couple of weeks ago.

The DomPost also covered it today, under the headline “$920,000 payout for defamation”, saying “An Auckland businessman is to receive nearly $1 million in damages in New Zealand’s biggest defamation case”.

Um, unlikely. Siemer is bankrupt in NZ, and although he has assets in the US, Stiassny will struggle to have his judgment enforced over there. The US courts are very hostile to decisions based on free-speech thresholds lower than those set in the First Amendment.

A nitpick: $20,000 of the $920,000 is for breach of contract, not defamation.

Topics: Defamation | No Comments »

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