Obituary

Obituary, Tolling Bell

From the book The Clergyman’s Hand-book of Law, about Obituary, Tolling Bell (1): To falsely and maliciously publish an obituary notice of a person living, is good ground for an action for libel.693 However, a complaint that a church tolled its bell to announce the death of a member, and did report him dead when he was actually living, and that it was all done for the purpose of annoying, harassing, and vexing the person and his family, was held not sufficient to support an action for libel. The latter case is doubtful law.694

Resources

Notes and References

1. Charles M. Scanlan, The Clergyman’s Hand-book of Law. The Law of Church and Grave (1909), Benziger Brothers, New York, Cincinnati, Chicago

See Also

• Religion
• Church