Defamation law imposes liability for false public statements that tend to harm their target's reputation or standing in the community. Defamation law plays a major role in American public life and courts award multi-million awards in dramatic judgments. The goal of this course is to introduce students to this body of law, gain proficiency and expertise in the doctrine, and develop an appreciation of the policy issues involved.
The course will devote considerable attention to doctrine and cases, but also to First Amendment jurisprudence, and other important policy considerations, such as the economics of speech, epistemological philosophy, and the role of the media in a democracy.
