Commercial Defamation, Privacy & Harassment

Hallmark Solicitors are experts in the field of commercial defamation, privacy and harassment cases.

Defamation

Defamation involves the publication of words to third parties either in written form (which is known as libel) or spoken form (which is known as slander). These words must damage the reputation of the subject of those words, or expose them to hatred or ridicule.

You only have one year from the date of publication to bring a claim for defamation, after which time your opportunity to bring such a claim will be lost. If you think that you have a defamation case then you should act quickly and seek legal advice as a matter of urgency.

Harassment

Many people are the subject of harassment on various levels including via the internet, by telephone and in person. Broadly, harassment involves alarming a person or causing them distress.

We have particular expertise in identifying the perpetrators of anonymous online publications intended to harass and defame our clients through the use of “Blaney” injunctions which can often be served using social media and which compel the publisher of online material to identify themselves to the High Court.

Harassment is actionable in civil law (often through obtaining an injunction and also through criminal law as harassing someone can also amount to a criminal offence.

At Hallmark, we are highly experienced in identifying perpetrators and putting in place a strategy that stops the harassment and obtains peace of mind for the client.

Privacy

Our solicitors are very experienced at dealing with matters concerning personal privacy.

Many people believe that privacy relates to defamation, because the information that the client is seeking to protect could often be viewed negatively by the public.

In fact, it rarely does, particularly given that in cases where the client wants an injunction to prevent publication, this has not been possible with defamation cases since 1891 !!

Instead, the Human Rights Act is used – this act broadly states that everyone is entitled to a private and family life and that information about an individual’s home or family life, intimate conversations, details of sexual relationships (even adulterous relationships), medical and financial information and details of an individual’s health should remain private unless a court states that the information relates to a matter of public interest, is already in the public domain or is trivial.

With our Head Office based in Hull and two Consulting Offices in London and Leeds we are easily accessible for consultations. Call us on 01482 616 616 or 0800 037 1305 to book a free telephone consultation to discuss your issues and requirements.