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The case of Morgan v Odhams Press Ltd clarified the law in England regarding identification of the plaintiff in an action for defamation.
[edit] Ratio decidendi
Lord Morris of Borth-y-gest ruled that even though the plaintiff was never referred to by name, nor was he even directly implicated upon strict reading of the defamatory article, he was still sufficiently identified. This was because a substantial group of people who knew the plaintiff understood that it referred to him. Lord Morris held that this was sufficient, even though noone called to give evidence in fact believed the allegations to be true.
