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 Definition With Malicious Intent In Georgia
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In defamation action based on statements regarding matters of public concern, actual malice must be proved before presumed or punitive damages can be awarded. Actual malice requires that statement be made with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.
The constitutional guarantees require, we think, a Federal rule that prohibits a public official from recovering damages for a defamatory falsehood relating to his official conduct unless he proves that the statement was made with 'actual malice'—that is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of ...
Defamation involves false statements that harm an individual's reputation. In Georgia, you can sue for defamation if you can prove that false statements were made with intent to harm your reputation.
Conversely, a defamatory statement is published with actual malice if, and only if, the publisher (1) knew that it was false when they published it or (2) exhibited a reckless disregard as to the truth or falsity of the statement when they published it.
The Five Elements of Defamation Explained The Information was Made Public. The Defaming Statement Names the Person. The Defamatory Statement Had a Negative Impact on the Victim's Reputation. The Published Remarks are Demonstrably False. The Defendant In the Case Is At Fault for the Defamation.
- A viable defamation claim under Georgia law consists of: (1) a false and defamatory statement concerning the plaintiff: (2) an unprivileged communication to a third party; (3) fault by the defendant amounting at least to negligence; and (4) special harm or the action ability of the statement irrespective of special ...
Elements of Defamation The defendant made the defamatory statement to a third party knowing it was false (or they should have known it was false); The defamatory statement was disseminated through a publication or communication; and. The plaintiff's reputation suffered damage or harm.
Negligence and malicious intent. In order for a statement to be considered as defamation, it must have been made with the knowledge that it was false. A private citizen must show that the defendant knew (or should have known) the statement was false before giving it, but decided to give it anyway.
Civil Practice § 9-11-55. (a) When case in default; opening as matter of right; judgment. If in any case an answer has not been filed within the time required by this chapter, the case shall automatically become in default unless the time for filing the answer has been extended as provided by law.
