The ABA Journal reports [link no longer available] that the number of libel suits has been steadily dropping in the United States:
The Slow Demise of Defamation and the Privacy Torts

The ABA Journal reports [link no longer available] that the number of libel suits has been steadily dropping in the United States:
Recently, in Barrett v. Rosenthal, the California Supreme Court held, similar to most courts addressing the issue, that bloggers are immune from being sued for “distributor” liability under defamation law. Under defamation law, the original speaker of a defamatory statement (a false statement that harms a person’s reputation) is liable. A “distributor,” one who further disseminates a […]
The NY Times has an interesting article about defamation law involving a lawsuit by a judge against a newspaper for libel. The article noted some interesting facts about the nature and cost of defamation litigation: