Florida courts recognize a number of privileges and defenses in the context of defamation actions, including substantial truth, the opinion and fair comment privileges, the fair report privilege, and the wire service defense.
To state a claim for defamation in Florida, a plaintiff must allege that (1) the defendant published or said a false statement; (2) about the plaintiff; (3) to a third party; and (4) the falsity of this statement caused injury to the plaintiff. The resulting injury can be to one's reputation or financial harm.
Johnny Depp vs. This case between movie star Johnny Depp and his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, was one of the most publicized defamation cases in recent times. The defendant, Ms. Heard, published an article in the Washington Post that insinuated that her ex-husband, Depp, had been violent towards her.
To prove defamation, a plaintiff generally must show: • A false statement purporting to be fact; • Publication or communication of that statement to a third person; • Fault amounting to at least negligence; and • Damages – that is, some harm caused to the plaintiff's reputation.
Generally, to win a defamation lawsuit, you must prove that: Someone made a statement; The statement was published; The statement caused your injury; The statement was false; and. The statement did not fall into a privileged category.
In Florida, plaintiffs in defamation cases must generally prove that they suffered actual damages as a result of the defamatory statement. These damages could include loss of business or income, damage to professional reputation, emotional distress, or out-of-pocket expenses incurred to mitigate the damage.
To this end, three types of damages can be awarded for defamation: Special damages: Special damages are real, economic damages. This includes loss of business or customers, loss of earning capacity, or medical bills for therapy. General damages: General damages are damages that are not economic.
To prove defamation, a plaintiff generally must show: • A false statement purporting to be fact; • Publication or communication of that statement to a third person; • Fault amounting to at least negligence; and • Damages – that is, some harm caused to the plaintiff's reputation.
To prevail in a defamation lawsuit or claim, you must be able to show the following in Florida courts: That someone made a false statement. That the statement was distributed, either orally or in written form. That the statement caused you to suffer an injury. That the statement was false.