Legal Definitions - Publish

Publish

To publish means to make a work available to the public in physical or electronic form. It can also mean to give publicity to a work or to circulate or distribute a work to the general public. In the context of defamation, even communicating a defamatory statement to a single third party may be considered publishing. In the context of wills, declaring a will to be the valid and true expression of one’s testamentary intent is considered publishing.

• When a book is printed and made available for purchase, it has been published.
• Posting an article on a website or social media platform is a form of publishing.
• If someone spreads a false rumor about another person to just one other person, that can be considered publishing and may be considered defamation.
• When a person declares their will to be the true expression of their wishes, they are publishing their testamentary intent.

The examples illustrate how publishing can take many forms, from physical books to online articles. It also shows how even a small audience can be considered publishing in the context of defamation. In the context of wills, publishing means declaring the document to be the true expression of the person's wishes.