My son 16 has received a defamatory reference for UCAS from school prefet, with untrue statements, and has since been harrassed and punished without due cause from this teacher. I would like to bring a defamation case in UK and understand my options with regard attacking in France as well. He is currently taking his baccalaureat in France and it is therefore difficult to remove him from the school. Due to this false reference he has been rejected for University next year and the reference has not been retracted so will affect his further education next year too.
Already Tried: contacting the school meeting with Director and teachers, APEL
A UK court will have no jurisdiction over this matter as the defendant and the school is in France. It is likely that they request that the case be dismissed, and it should be according to territorial jurisdiction rules.As concerns a legal action in France, one need to know whether this is private school or not. And the nature of the statements. Are they personal remarks from the prefet, or academic remarks made by the prefet and endorsed by the school. This would help you determine if the case is to be taken to an administrative court of to a judiciary court. One would also need to know what would the main aim of your legal action be. Obtain damages, or a criminal sanction against the alleged perpetrator?
Sorry you are not the expert advertised - who had a bi-cultural expertise