Libel And Slander

Most people care about their reputation and standing within the community. To allow people to protect their good names, libel and slander laws exist in every state in the United States. Under these rules, a person who is considered defamed by the public printing or public statement of untrue facts can file a lawsuit against the person responsible for that defamation. Generally, the person filing a slander suit must prove that the stated facts were untrue, that they were printed or stated as true and a third party heard or read the statements, and that the spreading of the falsehood caused harm. Celebrities and public figures have an additional burden of proving that the statement was made with reckless disregard for the truth or with actual malice, which means they knew it was untrue when they said or printed the information. Once the required burden of proof is met, the plaintiff in a slander case or a libel case may collect damages related to the printing or saying of the falsehood. The section contains a bulk of information about what constitutes defamation and what damages may be available in a defamation lawsuit.