Libel Act 1792
Encyclopedia
The Libel Act 1792 (also known as Fox's Act) was an Act
of the Parliament of Great Britain
. At the urging of the Whig
politician Charles James Fox
, the Act restored to juries the right to decide what was libel and whether a defendant
was guilty
, rather than leaving it solely to the judge
. It is still in force.
The Act itself only applies to criminal trials, but the rules it creates have come to be applied in civil trials.
Edmund Burke presented a similar bill in 1791. Charles James Fox opposed it and it was not passed.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
. At the urging of the Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
politician Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
, the Act restored to juries the right to decide what was libel and whether a defendant
Defendant
A defendant or defender is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of violating a criminal statute...
was guilty
Guilty
Guilty commonly refers to the feeling of guilt, an experience that occurs when a person believes that they have violated a moral standard.Guilty or The Guilty may also refer to:-Law:*Guilty plea, a formal admission of legal culpability...
, rather than leaving it solely to the judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
. It is still in force.
The Act itself only applies to criminal trials, but the rules it creates have come to be applied in civil trials.
Edmund Burke presented a similar bill in 1791. Charles James Fox opposed it and it was not passed.