The publication of a fair and impartial report of the return of any indictment, the issuance of any warrant, the arrest of any person for any cause or the filing of any affidavit, pleading or other document in any criminal or civil proceeding in any court, or of a fair and impartial report of the contents thereof, or of any charge of crime made to any judicial officer or body, or of any report of any grand jury, or of any investigation made by any legislative committee, or other public body or officer, shall be privileged, unless it be proved that the same was published with actual malice, or that the defendant has refused or neglected to publish in the same manner in which the publication complained of appeared, a reasonable explanation or contradiction thereof by the plaintiff, or that the publisher has refused upon the written request of the plaintiff to publish the subsequent determination of such suit, action or investigation.
Structure Code of Alabama
Chapter 11 - Offenses Against Public Order and Safety.
Article 7 - Offenses Relating to Libel and Defamation.
Section 13A-11-160 - Libel Tending to Provoke Breach of Peace.
Section 13A-11-161 - Publication of Certain Documents Considered Privileged.
Section 13A-11-162 - Indictment for Libel.
Section 13A-11-163 - Defamation.
Section 13A-11-164 - Refusal to Testify by Printer of Libel or Defamation.