Date of Award
2-17-2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Mass Communication
First Advisor
Kwasi Boateng
Abstract
This thesis analyzes the early defamation laws in Arkansas by the constitutions of Arkansas, the laws of Arkansas from 1812 to 1874, and Arkansas case law from 1812 to 1874 as concerning defamation, libel, and slander. This research shows how defamation, libel, and slander developed in Arkansas from early territorial periods to the end of the Reconstruction period. These laws were the foundations and the precedent for today’s defamation statutory and case laws in Arkansas, without these laws, it may be argued that defamation in Arkansas would have been decades behind the American legal system. This research advocates for the further research of mass communication law focusing primarily on defamation, libel, and slander in Arkansas to provide a deeper understanding of the foundations of defamation in Arkansas.
Recommended Citation
Beel, Jessica Michelle, "Planting Defamation in Arkansas: A Legal Historical Analysis of the Development of Defamation Laws in Arkansas During the 19th Century" (2021). Theses and Dissertations. 987.
https://research.ualr.edu/etd/987
