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Jeynes v News Magazines Limited & Anor
Comment
This was a straightforward appeal applying well-established principles as to the determination of the meaning of words. Of interest is the Court’s disapproval of the comment of Sedley LJ in his written leave to appeal that meaning was a matter for a jury, “especially in matters of demotic and popular culture”. The Master of the Rolls, in giving judgment, held that this was not right: it was the judge’s duty in every case to decide whether the words were capable of bearing the defamatory meaning alleged. There is, therefore, no room for the argument (which had not, in fact, been made by J) that judges should be more hesitant in striking out meanings where the words are published in popular literature, or use colloquial or 'slangy' language.