A newspaper article hints that a certain corporation is a front for illegal activity.The corporation:
A) will lose a defamation suit because only natural persons can successfully bring defamation suits.
B) will likely win a defamation suit if the statement is untrue and was made with malice.
C) will likely lose a defamation suit because the press has an absolute privilege in this type of case.
D) can win an invasion of privacy suit even if the statement is true.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the statement is untrue and was made with malice, the corporation may bring a successful defamation suit against the newspaper. However, if the statement is true, the newspaper may be protected under the defense of truth. The fact that the statement hints that the corporation is involved in illegal activity may qualify as defamation per se, which means that the corporation does not have to prove damages in order to succeed in its lawsuit. Additionally, corporations can bring defamation suits just like natural persons can. The press does not have an absolute privilege in defamation cases and the corporation would need to prove that the statement was made with malicious intent or with reckless disregard for the truth in order to succeed in its lawsuit. Invasion of privacy is a separate cause of action and would not be relevant to this scenario.

A Newspaper Article Hints That a Certain Corporation Is a Front