John Creath, a minor represented by his father, sued French for slander in the Randolph County Circuit Court. The court ruled in favor of Creath, rejecting French's motion for a new trial and judgment arrest. French appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, arguing lack of appointment of Creath's next friend and that the slander law referred to had been repealed. The Supreme Court affirmed the verdict, stating it was too late to raise the first objection and clarified that repealed statutes don't invalidate slander charges. |