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.
Cease And Desist Order For Defamation In Houston
Category:
State:
Multi-State
City:
Houston
Control #:
US-00423BG
Format:
Word;
Rich Text
Instant download
Description
Form popularity
FAQ
What are the grounds for a cease-and-desist letter? Copyright or trademark infringement. Violations of a non-compete agreement. Violations of a non-solicitation agreement. Breached business contracts. Slander, libel, and/or defamation. Harassment.
You have to first send the cease and desist letter. It is a prerequisite to obtaining the order. If the they do not comply, then you will need to file suit to obtain a cease and desist order from the court.
Defamation of character involves making false statements that harm someone's reputation. If the accusation is untrue and causes harm to the individual's reputation, they may have grounds to pursue a defamation lawsuit, particularly in jurisdictions like Houston where defamation laws are stringent.
If you or your business are being targeted by harmful online or offline content, a cease and desist letter may be your best choice for quickly bringing those defamatory statements (both libel and slander) to an end without having to wait for a lengthy legal process.
A cease and desist letter is a forceful and formal requests to discontinue an activity with the potential for legal action. It must include key components such as identification of the issue, evidence to support claims, consequences & a legal basis for demands.
Effective cease-and-desist letters include the following information: A thorough yet concise and clear description of the activity that must be stopped. The legal basis for your claim. The consequences if the recipient of the letter fails to comply. A deadline by which the activity must stop.
A cease and desist letter is a document sent by one party, often a business, to warn another party that they believe the other party is committing an unlawful act, such as copyright infringement, and that they will take legal action if the other party continues the alleged unlawful activity.
