1988 Ed.] The Rules of the Supreme Court-Order 82
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statements of fact, they are true in substance and in fact, and in so far as they consist of expressions of opinion, they are fair comment on a matter of public interest, or pleads to the like effect, he must give particulars stating which of the words complained of he alleges are statements of fact and of the facts and matters he relies on in support of the allegation that the words are true.
(3) Where in an action for libel or slander the plaintiff alleges that the defendant maliciously published the words or matters complained of, he need not in his statement of claim give particulars of the facts on which he relies in support of the allegation of malice, but if the defendant pleads that any of those words or matters are fair comment on a matter of public interest or were published on a privileged occasion and the plaintiff intends to allege that the defendant was actuated by express malice, he must serve a reply giving particulars of the facts and matters from which the malice is to be inferred.
(4) This rule shall apply in relation to a counterclaim for libel or slander as if the party making the counterclaim were the plaintiff and the party against whom it is made the defendant.
Provisions as to payment into court (O. 82, r. 4)
4. (1) Where in an action for libel or slander against several defendants sued jointly the plaintiff, in accordance with Order 22, rule 3(1), accepts money paid into court by any of those defendants in satisfaction of his cause of action against that defendant, then, notwithstanding anything in rule 3(4) of that Order, the action shall be stayed as against that defendant only, but-
(a) the sum recoverable under any judgment given in the plaintiff's favour against any other defendant in the action by way of damages shall not exceed the amount (if any) by which the amount of the damages exceeds the amount paid into court by the defendant as against whom the action has been stayed, and
(b) the plaintiff shall not be entitled to his costs of the action against the other defendant after the date of the payment into court unless either the amount of the damages awarded to him is greater than the amount paid into court and accepted by him or the judge is of opinion that there was reasonable ground for him to proceed with the action against the other defendant.
(2) Where in an action for libel a party pleads the defence for which section 4 of the Defamation Ordinance provides, Order 22, rule 7, shall not apply in relation to that pleading.
Statement in open court (O. 82, r. 5)
5. (1) Where a party accepts money paid into court in satisfaction of a cause of action for libel or slander, the plaintiff or
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