Minnesota SF 1242: Correction or Clarification of Defamation Act

Bill Text

12/10/12REVISORPMM/JC13-0467asintroduced
Abillforanact1.1
relatingtocivilactions;regulatingdefamationactions;providingforrequests1.2
forcorrectionsorclarifications;proposingcodingfornewlawasMinnesota1.3
Statutes,chapter553A.1.4
BEITENACTEDBYTHELEGISLATUREOFTHESTATEOFMINNESOTA:1.5
Section1.[553A.01]DEFINITIONS.1.6
Subdivision1.
Terms.Forpurposesofsections553A.01to553A.10,theterms1.7
definedinsubdivisions2to5havethemeaningsgiventhem.
1.8
Subd.2.Defamatory."Defamatory"meanstendingtoharmreputation.1.9
Subd.3.
Economicloss."Economicloss"meansspecial,pecuniarylosscausedby1.10
afalseanddefamatorypublication.1.11
Subd.4.Person."Person"meansanindividual,corporation,businesstrust,estate,1.12
trust,partnership,association,jointventure,orotherlegalorcommercialentity.Theterm
1.13
doesnotincludeagovernmentorgovernmentalsubdivision,agency,orinstrumentality.1.14
Subd.5.
Publish."Publish"meanstocommunicatetoanotherperson.1.15
Sec.2.[553A.02]APPLICATION.
1.16
Subdivision1.
Claimsforrelief;coverage.Sections553A.01to553A.10applyto1.17
anyclaimforrelief,howevercharacterized,fordamagesarisingoutofharmtopersonal1.18
reputationcausedbythefalsecontentofapublicationthatispublishedaftertheeffective
1.19
dateofsections553A.01to553A.10.Sections553A.01to553A.10donotcreateor1.20
recognizeanynewclaimforrelief,expandanyexistingclaimforrelief,orchangeor1.21
abolishanyexistingdefense.1.22
Sec.2.1
SENATE
STATEOFMINNESOTA
EIGHTY-EIGHTHLEGISLATURES.F.No.1242
(SENATEAUTHORS:DIBBLE)
DATED-PGOFFICIALSTATUS
03/11/2013771Introductionandfirstreading
ReferredtoJudiciary

12/10/12REVISORPMM/JC13-0467asintroduced
Subd.2.Publications;coverage.Sections553A.01to553A.10applyto2.1
allpublications,includingwritings,broadcasts,oralcommunications,electronic2.2
transmissions,orotherformsoftransmittinginformation.2.3
Sec.3.[553A.03]REQUESTFORCORRECTIONORCLARIFICATION.2.4
Subdivision1.Conditionstomaintainingaction.Apersonmaymaintainan2.5
actionfordefamationonlyafter:
2.6
(1)thepersonhasmadeatimelyandadequaterequestforcorrectionorclarification2.7
fromthedefendant;or2.8
(2)thedefendanthasmadeacorrectionorclarification.
2.9
Subd.2.Timing.Arequestforcorrectionorclarificationistimelyifmadewithin2.10
theperiodoflimitationforcommencementofanactionfordefamation.However,a2.11
personwho,within90daysafterknowledgeofthepublication,failstomakeagood-faith
2.12
attempttorequestacorrectionorclarificationmayrecoveronlyprovableeconomicloss.2.13
Subd.3.
Adequacy.Arequestforcorrectionorclarificationisadequateifit:2.14
(1)ismadeinwritingandreasonablyidentifiesthepersonmakingtherequest;2.15
(2)specifieswithparticularitythestatementallegedtobefalseanddefamatoryand,2.16
totheextentknown,thetimeandplaceofpublication;
2.17
(3)allegesthedefamatorymeaningofthestatement;2.18
(4)specifiesthecircumstancesgivingrisetoanydefamatorymeaningofthe2.19
statementwhicharisesfromotherthantheexpresslanguageofthepublication;and
2.20
(5)statesthattheallegeddefamatorymeaningofthestatementisfalse.2.21
Subd.4.
Serviceofsummonsandcomplaintasadequaterequest.Intheabsence2.22
ofapreviousadequaterequest,serviceofasummonsandcomplaintstatingaclaimfor2.23
relieffordefamationandcontainingtheinformationrequiredinsubdivision3constitutes2.24
anadequaterequestforcorrectionorclarification.
2.25
Subd.5.Tollingofperiodoflimitation.Theperiodoflimitationfor2.26
commencementofadefamationactionistolledduringtheperiodallowedinsection2.27
553A.06,subdivision1,forrespondingtoarequestforcorrectionorclarification.
2.28
Sec.4.[553A.04]DISCLOSUREOFEVIDENCEOFFALSITY.2.29
Subdivision1.Righttorequest.Apersonwhohasbeenrequestedtomake2.30
acorrectionorclarificationmayasktherequestertodisclosereasonablyavailable2.31
informationmaterialtothefalsityoftheallegeddefamatorystatement.2.32
Sec.4.2

12/10/12REVISORPMM/JC13-0467asintroduced
Subd.2.Failuretodisclose.Ifacorrectionorclarificationisnotmade,aperson3.1
whounreasonablyfailstodisclosetheinformationafterarequesttodosomayrecover3.2
onlyprovableeconomicloss.3.3
Sec.5.[553A.05]EFFECTOFCORRECTIONORCLARIFICATION.3.4
Ifatimelyandsufficientcorrectionorclarificationismade,apersonmayrecover3.5
onlyprovableeconomicloss,asmitigatedbythecorrectionorclarification.
3.6
Sec.6.[553A.06]TIMELYANDSUFFICIENTCORRECTIONOR
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CLARIFICATION.
3.8
Subdivision1.Determinationoftimeliness.Acorrectionorclarificationistimely3.9
ifitispublishedbythelaterofthefollowing:3.10
(1)beforereceiptofarequestforcorrectionorclarification;or
3.11
(2)within25daysafterthereceiptoftheinformationdisclosedpursuanttosection3.12
553A.04,subdivision1,or45daysafterreceiptofarequestforcorrectionorclarification.
3.13
Subd.2.Determinationofsufficiency.Acorrectionorclarificationissufficientif:3.14
(1)itispublishedwithaprominenceandinamannerandmediumreasonablylikely3.15
toreachsubstantiallythesameaudienceasthepublicationcomplainedof;
3.16
(2)itreferstothestatementbeingcorrectedorclarifiedand:3.17
(i)correctsorclarifiesthestatement;3.18
(ii)inthecaseofdefamatorymeaningarisingfromotherthantheexpresslanguage
3.19
ofthepublication,disclaimsanintenttoco