Defamation Act 1996


The Defamation Act 1996 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Section 4 - Limitation of actions: England and Wales

This section substitutes sections 4A, 28, 32A and 36 of the Limitation Act 1980.

Section 5 - Limitation of actions: Northern Ireland

This section substitutes articles 6, 48 and 51 of the Limitation Order 1989 .

Section 9 - Meaning of summary relief

Sections 9 to were inserted by paragraph 255 of Schedule 4 to the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. Section 9 was inserted by paragraph 52 of Schedule 18 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Order 2010.

Section 12 - Evidence of convictions

This section inserts section 13 of the Civil Evidence Act 1968, section 12 of the Law Reform Act 1968 and section 9 of the Civil Evidence Act 1971.

Section 13 - Evidence concerning proceedings in Parliament

This section was repealed by paragraph 44 of Schedule 23 to the Deregulation Act 2015.

Section 14 - Reports of court proceedings absolutely privileged

See Absolute privilege in English law
Section 14 was substituted by section 7 of the Defamation Act 2013.

Section 17 - Interpretation

Section 17 was inserted by paragraph 33 of Schedule 8 to the Scotland Act 1998.

Section 19 - Commencement

The following orders have been made under this section:

  • Section 20 - Short title and saving

Section 20 was repealed as to England and Wales by section 178 of, and Part 2 of Schedule 23 to, the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. Section 20 was repealed as to Scotland by paragraph 64 of Schedule 7 to the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010. These repeals were consequential to the abolition of criminal libel.

Schedule 1

Paragraphs 9 and 10 were substituted by section 7 of the Defamation Act 2013.
Paragraph 11 was inserted by article 12 of the Local Authorities Order 2002. Paragraph 11 was inserted by article 31 of the Local Authorities Order 2001 and article 30 of the Local Authorities Order 2002 . The definitions of "executive" and "executive arrangements" in paragraph 11 were repealed by article 12 of the Local Authorities Order 2002. Paragraph 11 was inserted by article 12 of the Local Authorities Order 2002.
Paragraph 11A was inserted by section 7 of the Defamation Act 2013.
New paragraphs 13 to were substituted for paragraphs 13 to by section 7 of the Defamation Act 2013.
Paragraph 14A was inserted by section 7 of the Defamation Act 2013.
Paragraph 15 was substituted by section 7 of the Defamation Act 2013. Paragraph 15 was substituted by paragraph 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Order 2010. Paragraph 15 was inserted by paragraph 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Order 2010. Paragraph 15 was inserted by paragraph 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Order 2010.
A new paragraph 16 was substituted for paragraphs 16 and 17 by section 7 of the Defamation Act 2013.
Paragraph 17 was substituted by paragraph 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Order 2010. Paragraph 17 was inserted by paragraph 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Order 2010. Paragraph 17 was inserted by paragraph 53 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 Order 2010.