Who was the complaint? - The complaint was made by JK Rowling after reading that it was misrepresentative of her comments made before she became famous.
Why did she make the complaint? - It was damaging her reputation and also caused her embarrassment and distress. Rowling’s legal team say the article gave a “false account of her time as a single mother in Edinburgh” where she was portrayed as having “accused her fellow churchgoers of behaving in a bigoted, unchristian manner towards her, of stigmatising her and cruelly taunting her for being a single mother.”
When was the case? - The Daily Mail published on its website on 28 September 2013.
What publication was taken to court and what was said that was libellous? - Rowling’s legal team say the article gave a false account of her time as a single mother in Edinburgh. The legal team also argued that the article wrongly claimed that Ms Rowling’s congregation has been “upset and bewildered” or “surprised and confused”.
In the NUJ Code of Conduct, this breaks rules: 2 (Strives to ensure that information disseminated is honestly conveyed, accurate and fair.), 3 (Does her/his utmost to correct harmful inaccuracies.), 6 (Does nothing to intrude into anybody’s private life, grief or distress unless justified by overriding consideration of the public interest.)
How was it resolved? - The article has since been taken down from the Mail Online. Ms Rowling’s legal team wants to see an injunction preventing the piece, or “the same or any similar defamatory words” being published.
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