§ 29-24-105 — Commercial printers and printing establishments relieved of liability for libel under certain conditions

(a) For the purpose of this section, "commercial printer or commercial printing establishment" includes any person or establishment producing printed products by any and all processes, and suppliers of type, stencils, plates and/or negatives from which such printing is produced. (b) The right of action heretofore existing against a commercial printer or commercial printing establishment engaged in the business of printing for others to recover sums of money as damages for the publication of a libel is hereby abolished where the copy for the libelous matter was furnished by the customer to the commercial printer or commercial printing establishment, and no part of the libelous matter was written, edited or otherwise authored by the commercial printer or commercial printing establishment or their agents, servants or employees. (c) (1) The benefits of this section shall not inure to the commercial printer or printing establishment, where the copy is libelous per se or where the commercial printer, or commercial printing establishment, its agents, servants or employees knew, or in the exercise of ordinary care should have known, of the falsity of the matter contained in such copy. (2) The benefit of this section shall not inure to the benefit of any commercial printer or any commercial printing establishment unless such printer or printing establishment requires the person furnishing such copy to place the provider's true name, address and organization represented, if any, on such copy or in a permanent record book kept for such purpose, such information to be available to the person allegedly libeled upon the libeled party's written request.

Legislative History

Acts 1957, ch. 240, §§ 1, 2; T.C.A., §§ 23-2608, 23-2609.