Legal Definitions - absolute privilege

Absolute privilege is a legal term that means a person cannot be held responsible for making defamatory statements in certain situations. This means that even if the statement is false and harmful, the person who made it cannot be sued for defamation.

Examples of situations where absolute privilege applies include:

• Statements made by judges, lawyers, and witnesses in court proceedings
• Statements made by legislators during legislative proceedings
• Statements made by government officials in the course of their duties

For instance, if a witness testifies in court and makes a defamatory statement about someone, they cannot be sued for defamation because they have absolute privilege. This is because the law recognizes that certain situations require people to speak freely and without fear of being sued for defamation.