Sabine Tram Co. v. Jurgens
Sabine Tram Co. v. Jurgens
Opinion of the Court
The only matter in contest here is a reconventional demand on the part of the defendant George Jurgens for damages for libel, based upon judicial allegations in which the plaintiff accused him of certain acts of fraud.
The allegations complained of were made by tbe plaintiff, first in his original petition in this suit, then in a supplemental petition, and afterwards in a petition filed, at the instigation of the plaintiff, by tbe receiver of a corporation styled Southwestern Lumber & Exporting Company, of which Jurgens was a stockholder and director. Jurgens was acquitted of the charges of fraud by the judgment .of this court. See Peck v. Southwestern Lumber & Exporting Co. (Intervention of Sabine Tram Co.), 131 La. 177, 59 South. 113, and Commercial Germania Trust & Savings Bank, Receiver, v. Jurgens, 134 La. 755, 64 South. 703. Thereafter, on this reconventional demand of Jurgens for $75,000 damages for libel, the court gave judgment in his favor for $1,000; and he prosecutes this appeal. The Sabine Tram Company, answering the appeal, prays that the demand be rejected entirely.
The judgment appealed from is affirmed. The appellee is to pay the costs of the district court; the appellant, the costs of appeal.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- SABINE TRAM CO. v. JURGENS
- Cited By
- 13 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by Editorial Staff.) 1. Libel and Slander @=>6(2) — Actionable Words — Injury to Business. False allegations in petitions accusing plaintiff of certain acts of fraud as a stockholder and director of a corporation were libelous. 2. Libel and Slander @=>56(2) — Truth of Allegations — Probable Cause for Belief. Where plaintiff employed an expert accountant to audit the books of a corporation and had his report disclosing facts pertaining to transactions on which its charges of fraud against defendant, a stockholder and director, were judicially made in its petitions, there was no probable cause for plaintiff to believe such allegations true. 3. Libel and Slander 56(2) — Absolute Privilege — Judicial Proceedings. No one has a right or privilege to deem appropriate or pertinent to an issue presented for decision, in a judicial proceeding, a libelous allegation that he knows is false, or that he has no just or probable cause to believe is true. 4. Libel and Slander t§=»121(l) — Discretion oe Trial Court — Damages. A judgment for $1,000, in an action for a libel contained in petitions in judicial allegations, in view of plaintiff’s extended business dealings and his high commercial and social position, and in view of Civ. Code, art. 1934, giving much discretion in assessment of damages to trial judge, was not an abuse of discretion.