A form of publication which tends to cause one to lose the esteem of the community is defamation. This is injury to reputation. A person can be held liable for the defamation of another. In order to prove defamation, the plaintiff must prove:
- that a statement was made about the plaintiff's reputation, honesty or integrity that is not true;
- publication to a third party (i.e., another person hears or reads the statement); and
- the plaintiff suffers damages as a result of the statement.
Slander is a form of defamation that consists of making false oral statements about a person which would damage that person's reputation. If one spreads a rumor that his neighbor has been in jail and this is not true, the person making such false statements could be held liable for slander.
Defamation which occurs by written statements is known as libel. Libel also may result from a picture or visual representation. Truth is an absolute defense to slander or libel.
Some statements, while libelous or slanderous, are absolutely privileged in the sense that the statements can be made without fear of a lawsuit for slander. The best example is statements made in a court of law. An untrue statement made about a person in court which damages that person's reputation will generally not cause liability to the speaker as far as slander is concerned. However, if the statement is untrue, the person making it may be liable for criminal perjury.
If a communication is made in good faith on a subject in which the party communicating it has a legitimate right or interest in communicating it, this communication may be exempt from slander liability due to a qualified privileged.
The following form letter demands that someone cease making libelous or slanderous statements, or appropriate legal action will be taken.
Defamation Of Character In Nigeria In Cook
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Multi-State
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Cook
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US-00423BG
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FAQ
The material that can be considered defamatory is not limited to letters and emails. It could be a photo, a social media comment, text message, blog, video, verbal statement or anything that is communicated to another person.
It's safe to say that pursuing a defamation suit against someone can be difficult, but it is not impossible. To prove defamation, you must determine that the statement can easily be described as false, published, harmful, or unprivileged.
To prove defamation, the statement must be: False: Truth is an absolute defense. Published: The statement must be communicated to someone other than the person defamed. Harmful: The statement must damage the person's reputation.
To prove prima facie defamation, a plaintiff must show four things: 1) a false statement purporting to be fact; 2) publication or communication of that statement to a third person; 3) fault amounting to at least negligence ; and 4) damages , or some harm caused to the reputation of the person or entity who is the ...
Any person who commits perjury is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years. If the offender commits the offence in order to procure the conviction of another person for an offence punishable with death or with imprisonment for life, he is liable to imprisonment for life.
Yes, you can sue for defamation—if you can prove that someone made a false, damaging statement about you to a third party. Whether you're a public figure or a private individual, the legal system provides avenues for clearing your name and seeking compensation.
"In the case of Criminal defamation, an old person can choose to take a person to court to get Justice because they know the case continues with the permission of the Attorney General whether the Plaintiff is living or dead, while in the case of civil defamation the case dies once the Plaintiff dies .
For a claimant to succeed in an action for defamation, the claimant must be able to prove: That the words were defamatory not to only to few members of the public but the general public. That the words referred to the claimant. That the words were published (to at least one person other than the plaintiff)
General Defamation (Section 392): Offenders may face up to two years in prison, a fine, or both. Defamation Intended to Incite Violence or Public Disorder: Such cases may incur harsher penalties depending on the severity of the consequences.
