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.
Slander Vs Libel Vs Defamation In Michigan
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Truth is the best defense to defamation. For example if sued for calling a person a criminal, then the defendant could produce a valid record of a criminal conviction, properly certified and exemplified and the defendant would probably be granted summary judgement.
Slander can be hard to prove, as the complainant must show the slanderer was driven by malice and knew their claims were false. Slander is different from libel, which are false statements made through print or broadcast.
In short, the offended party must prove a defamatory statement was made within one year of when the statement was made, why it is false, and if the statement is defamatory and the plaintiff seeks damages based on the per se or pro quod standards.
Libel and slander (defamation) claims are the only civil action with a one-year limit.
(7) An action for libel or slander shall not be brought based upon a communication involving a private individual unless the defamatory falsehood concerns the private individual and was published negligently. Recovery under this provision shall be limited to economic damages including attorney fees.
—Any person who shall falsely and maliciously, by word, writing, sign, or otherwise accuse, attribute, or impute to another the commission of any crime, felony or misdemeanor, or any infamous or degrading act, or impute or attribute to any female a want of chastity, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(11) The period of limitations is 1 year for an action charging libel or slander.
Libel | Business English something written or published that makes false or unfair statements that are likely to damage the reputation of a person or organization: libel suit/lawsuit They filed a libel lawsuit against the person responsible for the web posting.
For Michigan's most serious felonies, including first-degree criminal sexual conduct (), terrorism, and solicitation to commit , no statute of limitations exists. This means that charges may be brought years even decades after a crime has occurred.
In short, the offended party must prove a defamatory statement was made within one year of when the statement was made, why it is false, and if the statement is defamatory and the plaintiff seeks damages based on the per se or pro quod standards.
