17:38
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Simple English definitions for legal terms
absolute privilege
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A quick definition of absolute privilege:
Absolute privilege means that in certain situations, a person cannot be held responsible for saying something that might be harmful to someone else's reputation. This applies to specific places or circumstances, and it is a complete defense. It doesn't matter if what the person said was true or not, or if they meant to hurt someone. Absolute privilege applies to people like judges, lawyers, jurors, and witnesses in legal proceedings, as well as statements made during a trial or in a legal document.
A more thorough explanation:
Absolute privilege is a legal term that means a person cannot be held responsible for making defamatory statements in certain situations. This means that even if the statement is false and harmful, the person who made it cannot be sued for defamation.
Examples of situations where absolute privilege applies include:
- Statements made by judges, lawyers, and witnesses in court proceedings
- Statements made by legislators during legislative proceedings
- Statements made by government officials in the course of their duties
For instance, if a witness testifies in court and makes a defamatory statement about someone, they cannot be sued for defamation because they have absolute privilege. This is because the law recognizes that certain situations require people to speak freely and without fear of being sued for defamation.