Defamation
It is against Georgia law for someone to publish false and harmful information about another person. If the false information is published in writing, there may be a claim for libel. If the false information is broadcast on radio, TV or simply spoken from one person to another, there may be a claim for slander. Our trial lawyers have successfully handled both libel and slander claims, and we have helped individuals and businesses defamed by the media and other private businesses put a stop to the false information and recover damages.
Below are some of our notes on recent cases involving libel, slander and defamation claims in Georgia.
Chatham County Deacon Awarded $125,000 for False Accusations by Pastor
On February 8, 2011, a Chatham County jury found in favor of a church deacon who claimed he was defamed by the visiting pastor of his church. After one and a half hours of deliberation, the jury awarded the plaintiff $125,000 for damage to his reputation and emotional distress. Edward Heyward was accused of theft from his church and of having multiple affairs with female parishioners by Daniel Giles, a visiting pastor. Giles made his accusations against the eighty-five-year-old retired deacon ...
Columbus police officer settles claims for retaliation after discrimination complaint
Former Columbus police officer Byron Hickey reached an with the City of Columbus on April 26th to settle claims of retaliation by the city after he complained of racial and gender discrimination at work. According to the terms of the settlement, Hickey will accept a $155,000 payment and payment his legal fees in exchange for the city dropping its appeal. This settlement follows a December award of $306,969 to Hickey after a federal jury found that Columbus Police Chief R.T. Boren ...
Defamation claim results in $1.5 million verdict in Atlanta
In October 2010, Mark Gettner, a former Atlanta advertising executive, was awarded nearly $1.5 million in a jury trial in Fulton County. Gettner sued VNU Business Media— the parent company of the advertising trade journal Adweek—for libel and sought damages for harm to his reputation and lost income. From 1999-2003, Gettner was employed at Fitzgerald & Company, an Atlanta firm specializing in advertising, public relations, and marketing. After being promoted to Executive Creative Director in April 2001, Gettner returned to ...
Internet defamation case results in $400,000 jury verdict
A jury in Union County, Georgia recently returned a $404,000 verdict against a woman who posted false and malicious allegations on Topix.com against a man she barely knew. The woman, Sybil Denise Ballew, posted that Gene Cooley was a drug addict, criminal and pedophile among other things. The libelous postings on Topix.com, a community website, came shortly after Cooley’s fiancé was murdered by her ex-husband. The consequences of Ballew’s actions were so severe that Cooley lost his job ...
