The cases below are a compilation of cases from the Virginia Supreme Court summarized by Brien Roche dealing with the topic of defamation justification and the related topic of intentional torts. For more information on defamation see the pages on Wikipedia.
Defamation Justification-Cases
1966 Zayre, Inc. v. Gowdy, 207 Va. 47, 147 S.E.2d 710.Two minor girls detained by defendant’s security officer and accused of shoplifting. Jury verdict for plaintiff under either theory of false imprisonment or insulting words statute. Officer’s good faith and lack of malice is no defense to false imprisonment; nor is probable cause defense to action for insulting words.
