What is “Actual Malice” in San Diego and Los Angeles?

Actual malice is a potential component of many defamation cases, and while it can be quite complicated to establish from a legal point of view the subtleties are somewhat intuitive to most of my clients.  California defamation law permits a plaintiff to recover punitive damages for the publication of libel by newspaper and slander by radio. The plaintiff must first demand that the publisher or broadcaster correct the defamatory statements. If that fails, the plaintiff must show “actual malice”.

The law defines “actual malice” as, “… that state of mind arising from hatred or ill will toward the plaintiff; provided, however, that such a state of mind occasioned by a good faith belief on the part of the defendant in the truth of the libelous publication or broadcast at the time it is published or broadcast shall not constitute actual malice.” (Emphasis supplied)

Showing hatred or ill will in this context can be difficult, yet it can be proved