Article 359 of the RPC classifies slander by deed as punishable by arresto mayor or arresto menor depending on the gravity of the act and the resulting damage to the person offended. Specifically: Arresto Mayor ranges from one (1) month and one (1) day to six (6) months of imprisonment.
Elements of Slander by Deed A Physical Act: There must be a gesture, sign, or action performed by the accused. This action must be deliberate and intended to communicate a message. Dishonor, Discredit, or Contempt: The act must be such that it subjects the victim to ridicule, public contempt, or loss of reputation.
Arizona recognizes both per se slander and libel, in addition to per quod slander and libel. Per se is a legal standard in which damage is presumed, whereas per quod, is when the plaintiff must prove the damages caused by the defamatory act.
'Slander' is spoken, a criminal action damaging to an individual's reputation and is actionable under law. 'Libel' is a written or published statement that is damaging to an individual's reputation, also actionable under law. 'Smearing' may be understood to be either slanderous or libelous.
Written defamation is called "libel," and spoken defamation is considered "slander," and they both fall under "defamation." In the US, defamation is not usually a crime. Instead, it is a "tort" or civil wrong. Under the law, a person who has been defamed can seek damages from the perpetrator.
In Arizona, a statement that does any of the following is slander per se: Charges a contagious or venereal disease, or that woman is not chaste; or. Tends to injure a person in his profession, trade, or business; or. Imputes the commission of a crime involving moral turpitude.
Defamation is a statement that injures a third party's reputation. The tort of defamation includes both libel (written statements) and slander (spoken statements).
To successfully prosecute a slander case, the following elements must be proven: Imputation of a Defamatory Act: The plaintiff must show that the accused made a statement or utterance that imputes a discreditable act or condition to another person.