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Simple English definitions for legal terms
single-publication rule
Read a random definition: si antecedit ictum licet non congressum
A quick definition of single-publication rule:
Single-Publication Rule: This is a rule that says if someone sues a publisher for saying something bad about them, they can only sue for one time for each big group of things that were published together. They can't sue for every single book or magazine that had the bad thing in it.
A more thorough explanation:
The single-publication rule is a legal principle that limits the number of claims a plaintiff can make against a publisher in a libel suit. According to this doctrine, a plaintiff can only bring one claim for each mass publication, rather than a claim for every book or issue in that run.
For example, if a newspaper publishes an article that defames a person, that person can only bring one claim against the newspaper, even if the article is published in multiple editions of the newspaper. The single-publication rule prevents the plaintiff from filing multiple claims for the same defamatory statement.
Another example would be if a book is published and contains a defamatory statement about a person. The single-publication rule would limit the plaintiff to only one claim against the publisher, even if the book is reprinted or sold in multiple editions.
The single-publication rule is designed to prevent a flood of lawsuits against publishers for the same defamatory statement. It also helps to ensure that publishers are not unfairly burdened with multiple claims for the same publication.