Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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TABLE OF CASES
Ractliffe vs. evans, 1892 P.K. Oswal Hosiery Mills vs. Tilak chand, A.I.R.1969 Punjab 150, 159 Brook vs. Rawl (1849) 4 Ex 521 Ravenhill vs. upcott(1869) 20 LT 233 Odgers, libel and slander, p. 70 Malachy vs soper (1839) 2 Bing NC 371 Gutsole vs. mathers (1836) 1 M & 1 W 495 Evans vs. Harlow (1844) 5QB 624 Hatchard vs. Mege (1887) 18 QBD771 Dunlop pneumatic tyre co. vs maison tailbot (1904) 20 TR 579 British Railway traffic & electric co. vs. CRC co. (1922) 2 KB 260
Barret vs. associated newspapers (1907) 23 TLR 666 Casey vs. Arnot (1876) 2 CPD 24 Hargovind vs. Kikabhai (1938) ILR Nag 348, AIR 1938 Nag 84 PKOH Mills vs. Tilakchand, AIR 1969 Punj 150 Malachy vs. soper (1836) 3 Bing NC 371 Peter vs. Baker (1847) 3 Bing NC 371 Halsey vs. brotherhood (1880) 15 Ch D 514 Griffiths vs benn (1911) 27 TLR 346 Cundey vs. lerwill & pike (1908) 24 TLR 584 Leetham vs. Rank (1912) 57 sol jour 111 Young vs. macrae (1862) 3 B & S 264 Shapiro vs. Lal moita (1923) 40 TLR 203 Wren vs. weild (1869) LR 4 QB 730 White vs. Mellin (1895) AC 154 Balden vs. Shorter (1933) CH 427 Tobacco co. vs. Bonnan AIR 1928 Cal 1 Steward vs. young (1870) LR 5 CP 122 Hatchard vs. mege (1887) 18 QBD 771 Lewis vs. Lewis (1895) 1 All ER 1005 White vs mellin (1895) Ac 154 British Railway Traffic & electric co. vs CRC Co. (1922) 2 KB 260. Singer Machine manufacturers vs. Wilson (1876) 2 Ch D 343 Ainsworth vs. Walmsley (1866) LR 1 Eq 518 Gujarat G & M Co. vs. Swadeshi MillsCo., AIR 1939 Bom 118 Blofeld vs. Payne *(1833) 4B & Ad 410
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Singer mfg. co. vs. Loog (1882) 8 AC 15 Indian dental works vs. Dhanakoti AIR 1962 Mad 127 Draper vs. trist (1939) 3 ALL ER 513 (CA) Reddway vs. Bentham Hemp Spinninig co. (1892) 2 QB 639 Haji jamal & co. vs Abdul Kareem & co.(1933) ILR 57 Mad 600 Malayan tobacco distributors vs. The united king tobacco, AIR 1933 PC 138 Singer machine manufacturer vs. Wilson (1876) 2 Ch D 434 Warwick tyre co. vs. new motor and general rubber co. (1910) 1 Ch 248 Thomas bear & sons vs. prayag (1940) ILR ALL 446, AIR 1940 PC 86 Ford vs, Foster (1872) LR 7 Ch 611 Upendra nath vs. The union Drug co. AIR 1926 cal 837 Unani Dawkhana Vs. Hamdard AIR 1930 Lah 999 Fels vs hedley (1930) 20 TLR 69 Linoleum manufg. Co. vs Nairn (1878) 7 Ch D 834 Canadian shredded wheat co. ltd. Vs. Kellog co. of Canada ltd. 1938 PCC 143 Rogger vs. Findlater (1873) LR 17 Eq 29 Coca cola co. of Canada vs. pepsi-cola co. of Canada ltd. (1942) 1 ALL ER 615 (PC) (1896) AC 199 Imperial tobacco co. vs Bonnan (1924) ILR 51 cal 892 PC Meera sahib vs. Abdul Aziz (1938) ILR Mad 466 The leather cloth co. vs. American leather cloth co. (1863) 4 De GJ & S 137 M mahendra shaw vs.tiruchy floor mills, trichy 1997(2) ALD 251 Leather cloth co. vs. American leather cloth co. (1865) 11 HLC 523 National Bank of india vs. National bank of Indore (1922) 24 Bom LR 1181 Day vs. Brownrig (1878) 10 Ch D 294 Street vs. Union bank of spain (1885) 30 Ch D 156 Hinnes vs Winnick (1947) Ch 708 Servile vs. Constance (1954) 1 ALL ER 662 Forbes vs. kemsley newspapers (1951) 2 TLR 656 McCullock vs. Lewis May ltd. (1947) 2 ALL ER 845 Dockrell vs. Dougall (1899) 80 LT 556 Section 478-489, IPC Mohammd Raja vs. E, AIR 1930 Oudh 360 Section 48-86, IPC Slazenger vs. Fentham (1889) 6RPC 531 Upmann vs. Elkann (1871) LR 12 Eq 140 Ractliff vs. Evans (1892) 2 Qb 524 Shephered vs. Wakeman (1661) 1 Sid 79
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Dixon vs. Holden (1869) LR 7 Eq 488 Riding vs. Smith (1876) 1 Ex D 91 Shapiro vs. La morta (1923) 40 TLR 201
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INTRODUCTION
Malicious falsehood consists in making malicious statements concerning the plaintiff to some third person adversely affecting the pecuniary interest of the plaintiff. This wrong is similar to defamation because in this case, as in defamation, a statement made to third person, causes damage to the plaintiff. However the two wrongs are much different. In defamation the reputation of plaintiff is affected and in malicious falsehood, in malicious falsehood, the pecuniary interest of plaintiff is affected. Moreover in the case of defamation, malice in the sense of an evil motive is not necessary. An evil motive is one of the important essential ingredients of the wrong of malicious falsehood. Malicious falsehood has a common point with the wrong of deceit that false statement made by the defendant causes loss to the plaintiff. But the difference is that in the wrong of deceit, the statement is made to the plaintiff himself and thus he suffers by acting upon it and in the case of malicious falsehood, the false statement is made to the third party in a way that proves injurious to the plaintiffs pecuniary interest. A malicious statement by the defendant that the plaintiffs business has been closed down would result in pecuniary loss to the plaintiff because the natural consequence of that is the loss of his customers. It is the malicious falsehood for which the defendant would be liable.1 The defamation act,1952(English) makes it unnecessary to prove special damages in case of malicious falsehood : (a) If the words upon which action is founded are calculated to cause pecuniary loss to the plaintiff and are published in writing or other permanent form, or (b) If the said words are calculated to cause the plaintiff pecuniary damage in respect of any, office, profession, calling, trade or business held or carried on by him at the time of publication.2 Important form of this wrong are slander of title and slander of goods. In the wrong of slander of title , there is a malicious statement about a persons property or business and does not relate necessarily to his personal reputation, but to his title to property or his business or generally to his material interest.3 For example, a false assertion that the defendant has alien over the plaintiffs good or he has a better title to them than that of plaintiff is slander of title. When the malicious statement relates to goods, then it is known as slander of goods, For example allegation of defects in the goods manufactured by plaintiff. The obvious defect of
1. ractliffe vs. evans, 1892 2. section 3(1) 3. P.K. Oswal Hosiery Mills vs. Tilak chand, A.I.R.1969 Punjab 150, 159
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such statement is to depreciate the value of the plaintiffs good. The law permits making of statement, however false and malicious, whereby a trader claims his good to be better than those of his rival traders but makes it actionable when there is false and malicious depreciation of the quality of anothers goods.
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY:_
The objective of study is to find out that how does Malicious falsehood differs from defamation and what are the different forms of this wrong. What are the remedies available under the present legal system. To find out the cases related to this is also an objective of the researcher.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:The researcher has primarily relied on the Doctrinal Method. The research is based on comprehensive study of online journals, documents, Books and cases. Uniform citation method has been used throughout the project report.
HYPOTHESIS:Malicious falsehood are the type of the statement which are made intentionally to harm the interest of another. It is different from deceit and defamation in certain ways.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS:1. How malicious falsehood is different from deceit and defamation. 2. What are the different wrongs under this. 3. Which points should be proved to bring an action for Malicious falsehood. 4. What are the different remedies available for different wrongs.
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CHAPTERISATION
1. Deals with slander of title or slander of goods. 2. Deals with passing off goods. 3. Imitation of the name of anothers business. 4. Other forms of injurious falsehood.
Brook vs. Rawl (1849) 4 Ex 521 Ravenhill vs. upcott(1869) 20 LT 233 Odgers, libel and slander, p. 70 5 Malachy vs soper (1839) 2 Bing NC 371 Gutsole vs. mathers (1836) 1 M & 1 W 495 Evans vs. Harlow (1844) 5QB 624 Hatchard vs. Mege (1887) 18 QBD771 Dunlop pneumatic tyre co. vs maison tailbot (1904) 20 TR 579 British Railway traffic & electric co. vs. CRC co. (1922) 2 KB 260
6
Barret vs. associated newspapers (1907) 23 TLR 666 Casey vs. Arnot (1876) 2 CPD 24 Hargovind vs. Kikabhai (1938) ILR Nag 348, AIR 1938 Nag 84 7 PKOH Mills vs. Tilakchand, AIR 1969 Punj 150
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(B) Disparagement That the said publication disparaged the plaintiffs property or business. If iot disparaged also his reputation directly or indirectly, m then an action for defamation also lies. The principle applicable to the interpretation of alleged defamatory statement also apply here. 10 A person is entitled to puff his own goods, eg. By saying that his goods are the best in the market or even that they are superior to the plaintiffs. no action lies for such a statement because a purchaser doesnt usually rely on them to the exclusion of his own judgment. Besides if an action is allowed it would enable traders to to use it as a means of advertisement. In White vs. Mellin,11 the defendant, a chenist was not held liable for such kind of statement. However if the defendant make any untrue statement of fact about plaintiff, then it is another matter.12
(C) DAMAGE
That the said publication caused special damage as a natural consequence, eg; the loss of business, customers, a bargain, property, income or profits, or costs incurred by being compelled to defend his title.
8 9
Malachy vs. soper (1836) 3 Bing NC 371 Peter vs. Baker (1847) 3 Bing NC 371 Halsey vs. brotherhood (1880) 15 Ch D 514 10 Griffiths vs benn (1911) 27 TLR 346 Cundey vs. lerwill & pike (1908) 24 TLR 584 11 (1895) AC 154 Leetham vs. Rank (1912) 57 sol jour 111 12 Young vs. macrae (1862) 3 B & S 264
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(D) MALICE
That the statement was published maliciously,13ie. Out of some motive other than a bona fide claim of right.14 Absence of belief in the truth of the statement will be conclusive evidence of malice, but a merely careless publication of its not by itself enough,
13 14
Shapiro vs. Lal moita (1923) 40 TLR 203 Wren vs. weild (1869) LR 4 QB 730 White vs. Mellin (1895) AC 154 Balden vs. Shorter (1933) CH 427 Tobacco co. vs. Bonnan AIR 1928 Cal 1 Steward vs. young (1870) LR 5 CP 122 15 Hatchard vs. mege (1887) 18 QBD 771 16 Lewis vs. Lewis (1895) 1 All ER 1005 17 White vs mellin (1895) Ac 154 British Railway Traffic & electric co. vs CRC Co. (1922) 2 KB 260.
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18 19
Singer Machine manufacturers vs. Wilson (1876) 2 Ch D 343 Ainsworth vs. Walmsley (1866) LR 1 Eq 518 20 Gujarat G & M Co. vs. Swadeshi MillsCo., AIR 1939 Bom 118 21 Blofeld vs. Payne *(1833) 4B & Ad 410 Draper vs. Trist (1939) 3 All ER 513 (CA)
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Singer mfg. co. vs. Loog (1882) 8 AC 15 Indian dental works vs. Dhanakoti AIR 1962 Mad 127 23 Draper vs. trist (1939) 3 ALL ER 513 (CA) Reddway vs. Bentham Hemp Spinninig co. (1892) 2 QB 639 Haji jamal & co. vs Abdul Kareem & co.(1933) ILR 57 Mad 600 Malayan tobacco distributors vs. The united king tobacco, AIR 1933 PC 138 24 Singer machine manufacturer vs. Wilson (1876) 2 Ch D 434 Warwick tyre co. vs. new motor and general rubber co. (1910) 1 Ch 248
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some well known device, design, or get-up, chosen by plaintiff, it would ordinarily be fraudulent and deceptive. Where the respondent began to market a drink called pub squash with cans and advertising similar to those of appellants soft drink solo brought in the market one year earlier, there was no cause of action as the cans and advertising has not become distinguishing features of solo. The test is whether the product has derived from advertising, a distinctive character which the market recognizes.25 Where name and words are chosen to refer to an article, the position is less simple. If the name and word is peculiar and uncommon and arbitrarily chosen by the plaintiff for his goods, he can easily establish that the imitation of it by another was fraudulent.26 However it is a different matter if the words are ordinary or descriptive. Every person has a right to use of the English or any other language and one trader can not complain of the use of a name by another unless it has acquired a distinctive application to the plaintiffs goods. For instance, it was held that the word naptha w as descriptive of the article and could not be monopolized by one trader. 27 A brewer who had been in the habit of putting on his bottles, a label with the words nourishing stout could not restrain another brewer from using these words on his labels.28 However even a descriptive name may acquire a special and exclusive application to a persons goods. In that case he has a right to restrain anothers use of it. In Reddaway vs. Banham,29 the words camel hair belting were held to have acquired a special application to the plaintiffs goods of that description, and the defendant was restrained for using those words for article. It is not merely exact but even a colourable imitation of a mark or name that will be restrained if it has a tendency to mislead the public. A name which has a special and secondary sense with reference to a persons goods may cease to have it and become one of general application by being employed by others. If , however it is ambiguous whether a name is a distinctive or general one , it is the duty of the person adopting it to take care that he does not mislead. For instance, the name corona was used by the plaintiff for a long as a distinctive of a brand of cigars. It was held that the name being ambiguous, the defendant should be restrained from selling a cigar of any other brand as corona unless it was made
25 26
Thomas bear & sons vs. prayag (1940) ILR ALL 446, AIR 1940 PC 86 Ford vs, Foster (1872) LR 7 Ch 611 Upendra nath vs. The union Drug co. AIR 1926 cal 837 Unani Dawkhana Vs. Hamdard AIR 1930 Lah 999 27 Fels vs hedley (1930) 20 TLR 69 Linoleum manufg. Co. vs Nairn (1878) 7 Ch D 834 Canadian shredded wheat co. ltd. Vs. Kellog co. of Canada ltd. 1938 PCC 143 28 Rogger vs. Findlater (1873) LR 17 Eq 29 Coca cola co. of Canada vs. pepsi-cola co. of Canada ltd. (1942) 1 ALL ER 615 (PC) 29 (1896) AC 199
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clear to the customers that it was not the corona brand. Whether the plaintiff has established a reputation for the name, mark, etc. is so similar as to mislead purchasers would depend on all the circumstances of the case. The plaintiffs were manufacturing cycle bells under the trade mark B.K. which was seen by the public. If the defendants were allowed to make cycle bells under the mark B.K-81 there was likelihood of diversion of trade from the plaintiffs to the defendants. It was an injury against which the plaintiffs were entitled to injunction. If an intent to defraud is shown, it would of course go a great way to prove probability of deception. A manufacturers of goods as well as their importer or vendor can acquire a right to an exclusive name, mark etc.30 a person who himself has pirated anothers trademark can not complain of an infringement of it.31 The above principle applies to the names, titles of books, periodical, newspapers etc. an author can restrain the publication in his name of a book not written by him. Foreign trademarks and trade names are protected in courts of this country by reason of an international convention for protection of industrial property. In a Bombay case, the high court allowed an action filed by pujaris or priests of a village temple for an injunction to prevent the defendants from installing an idol with the same name in another temple. This action bears no analogy to a passing off action but could be regarded as one for a disturbance of the plaintiffs enjoyment of their religious office and its emoluments. On this ground, this case falls outside the principle of free competition recognized in the old case of the Gloucesstor grammar schoolmaster. Plaintiff popularized the trademark Annapurna from his product, atta from March 1995. In fact, that trademark was being used by defendants for his products like salt etc, much prior to the plaintiffs product came into market. Defendant started using that trademark for Atta also subsequent to the plaintiffs production in the name of Annapurna. It was held that defendant was entitled to use his trademark and the court refused to grant injunction in favour of the plaintiff.32
30
Imperial tobacco co. vs Bonnan (1924) ILR 51 cal 892 PC Meera sahib vs. Abdul Aziz (1938) ILR Mad 466 31 The leather cloth co. vs. American leather cloth co. (1863) 4 De GJ & S 137 32 M mahendra shaw vs.tiruchy floor mills, trichy 1997(2) ALD 251
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USE OF A NAME
A person has no right to sue when the use of his name or that of his property by another does not injure his trade or business. An action to restrain the defendant from using a the name for his villa similar to that of plaintiffs was dismissed, though such use might cause inconvenience to the plaintiff.35 Similarly a person Who was using the word street london as his telegraphic address failed to get an injunction to prevent a bank using the same words.36 However an action will lie to restrain the use of anothers name, real or assumed if it is a business name.37 This assumes that the business is similar. A radio artist giving programs Under the fancy name uncle Mac could not get an injunction tto restrain a manufacturer marketing a food product under the name uncle Macs puffed wheat.38 The use of a persons name by another may be defamatory as where the name of a doctor of repute is used
33 34
Leather cloth co. vs. American leather cloth co. (1865) 11 HLC 523 National Bank of india vs. National bank of Indore (1922) 24 Bom LR 1181 35 Day vs. Brownrig (1878) 10 Ch D 294 36 Street vs. Union bank of spain (1885) 30 Ch D 156 37 Hinnes vs Winnick (1947) Ch 708 Servile vs. Constance (1954) 1 ALL ER 662 Forbes vs. kemsley newspapers (1951) 2 TLR 656 38 McCullock vs. Lewis May ltd. (1947) 2 ALL ER 845
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without his authority to puff some quack medicine.39 A person can not be prevented from use of his name, unless some special manner of using it affects anothers business.
The court has also power to grant other appropriate relief. if the defendant is found to have spurious articles marked with the false mark in his possession, he can be ordered to remove the marks or deliver up the articles.42
39 40
Dockrell vs. Dougall (1899) 80 LT 556 Section 478-489, IPC Mohammd Raja vs. E, AIR 1930 Oudh 360 41 Section 48-86, IPC 42 Slazenger vs. Fentham (1889) 6RPC 531 Upmann vs. Elkann (1871) LR 12 Eq 140
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CONCLUSION:Malicious falsehoods are published statements which are false without necessarily being defamatory. In order to prove malicious falsehood, a claimant will need to prove that: the words are false the words were published maliciously the words published have caused special damage or financial loss to the claimant.
There is a difference between Defamation and Malicious Falsehood. The Motive is irrelevant in the case of the defamation while it is not so in the case of the malicious falsehood. There is also a difference Between Deceit and malicious falsehood. It is also known as injurious falsehood. There are different forms of this wrong like slander of goods or slander of title, Passing off goods, imitation of name of others etc.
43 44
Ractliff vs. Evans (1892) 2 Qb 524 Shephered vs. Wakeman (1661) 1 Sid 79 Dixon vs. Holden (1869) LR 7 Eq 488 45 Riding vs. Smith (1876) 1 Ex D 91 46 Shapiro vs. La morta (1923) 40 TLR 201
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BIBILIOGRAPHY: http://www.withyking.co.uk/uploads/news/857//defamation_&malicious_falsehood.pdf http://catalogue.pearsoned.co.uk/assets/hip_gb_pearsonhighhered/samplechapt er/140825414X.pdf www.thompsons.law.co.uk/factsheets/thompsons-defamation-factsheet.pdf http://www.agc.gov.my/akta/vol.%206/act%20286.pdf R K Bangia, Law Of Torts Ratan Lal Dheerajlal, Law Of Torts Rama Swami Iyer, Law of Torts
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