Absolute Privilege In Defamation

Simon is acting for a plaintiff bringing a defamation claim. The defendant argued that that absolute privilege applies and the claim should be struck out. The District Court judge struck out the claim but the High Court and Court of Appeal accepted the plaintiff’s argument that absolute privilege does not apply. These judgments are important precedents in the law of defamation- see W v S [2020] NZHC 3418; S v W [2022] NZCA 181