North Dakota Code 32-44-02 – Civil liability for defamation of agricultural producers
A person who willfully or purposefully disseminates a false and defamatory statement, knowing the statement to be false, regarding an agricultural producer or an agricultural product under circumstances in which the statement may be reasonably expected to be believed and the agricultural producer is damaged as a result, is liable to the agricultural producer for damages and other relief allowed by law in a court of competent jurisdiction, including injunctive relief and compensatory and exemplary damages. If it is found by a court or jury that a person has maliciously disseminated a false and defamatory statement regarding an agricultural product or agricultural producer, the agricultural producer may recover up to three times the actual damages proven and the court must order that the agricultural producer recover costs, disbursements, and actual reasonable attorney’s fees incurred in the action.
Terms Used In North Dakota Code 32-44-02
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49