County Detail

Blair et ux. v. Sharp

Blair and his wife sued Sharp in the Washington County Circuit Court for slander. The alleged statement was that Blair "had sworn a lie," with no context provided. The court ruled for Sharp because the statement was insufficient and not actionable due to lack of context. Blair appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court, which affirmed the lower court's decision, stating the absence of context rendered the statement non-actionable, both at common law and under statute.

French v. Creath

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Supreme Court, arguing lack of appointment of Creath's next friend and that the slander law referred to had been repealed. The Supreme Court affirmed the verdict, stating it was too late to raise the first objection and clarified that repealed statutes don't invalidate slander charges.