California Civil Code 48.8 – (a) A communication by any person to a school principal, or a …
(a) A communication by any person to a school principal, or a communication by a student attending the school to the student’s teacher or to a school counselor or school nurse and any report of that communication to the school principal, stating that a specific student or other specified person has made a threat to commit violence or potential violence on the school grounds involving the use of a firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon, is a communication on a matter of public concern and is subject to liability in defamation only upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that the communication or report was made with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth or falsity of the communication. Where punitive damages are alleged, the provisions of Section 3294 shall also apply.
(b) As used in this section, “school” means a public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten or grades 1 to 12, inclusive.
Terms Used In California Civil Code 48.8
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 570, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2002.)