- Act 73 of 2005 - Royal Assent 9 December 2005 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Long Title PART 1 - Preliminary 1. Short title 2. Commencement 3. Objects of Act 4. Interpretation 5. Act to bind Crown PART 2 - General principles Division 1 - Defamation and the general law 6. Tort of defamation 7. Distinction between slander and libel abolished Division 2 - Causes of action for defamation 8. Single cause of action for multiple defamatory imputations in same matter 9. Certain corporations do not have cause of action for defamation 10. Section left blank Division 3 - Choice of law 11. Choice of law for defamation proceedings PART 3 - Resolution of civil disputes without litigation Division 1 - Offers to make amends 12. Application of Division 13. Publisher may make offer to make amends 14. When offer to make amends may be made 15. Content of offer to make amends 16. Withdrawal of offer to make amends 17. Effect of acceptance of offer to make amends 18. Effect of failure to accept reasonable offer to make amends 19. Inadmissibility of evidence of certain statements and admissions Division 2 - Apologies 20. Effect of apology on liability for defamation PART 4 - Litigation of civil disputes Division 1 - General 20A. Proceedings generally to be commenced within one year 20B. Application of section 20A 21. Election for defamation proceedings to be tried by jury 22. Roles of judicial officers and juries in defamation proceedings 23. Leave required for further proceedings in relation to publication of same defamatory matter Division 2 - Defences 24. Scope of defences under general law and other law not limited 25. Defence of justification 26. Defence of contextual truth 27. Defence of absolute privilege 28. Defence for publication of public documents 29. Defence of fair report of proceedings of public concern 30. Defence of qualified privilege for provision of certain information 31. Defences of honest opinion 32. Defence of innocent dissemination 33. Defence of triviality Division 3 - Remedies 34. Damages to bear rational relationship to harm 35. Damages for non-economic loss limited 36. State of mind of defendant generally not relevant to awarding damages 37. Exemplary or punitive damages cannot be awarded 38. Factors in mitigation of damages 39. Damages for multiple causes of action may be assessed as single sum Division 4 - Costs 40. Costs in defamation proceedings PART 5 - Miscellaneous 41. Proof of publication 42. Proof of convictions for offences 43. Incriminating answers, documents or things 44. Giving of notices and other documents 45. Regulations 46. Rules of court 47. Administration of Act 48. Savings, transitional and other provisions 49. Consequential Amendments 50. Legislation repealed SCHEDULE 1 SCHEDULE 2 SCHEDULE 3 SCHEDULE 4 SCHEDULE 5[ Note: This table has been automatically generated and may be incomplete. ]