Typically, these are individuals with widespread fame, such as celebrities and professional athletes. Like public officials, plaintiffs classified as all-purpose public figures must show that the defendant acted with actual malice in publishing the defamatory statement.
It was held that libel against a private person could be considered a crime if it could provoke revenge that would threaten a breach of the peace, that libel against the monarch or government could be illegal, even if true, because "it concerns not only the breach of the peace, but also the scandal of government", and ...
A public figure must prove that a Defendant acted with 'actual malice' in publishing a false statement about the plaintiff. Actual malice means that the person either knew the statement was false or showed such reckless disregard for the truth that they should have known the statement was false.
Having said that, you could still end up in prison if you are found to be in Contempt of Court, by, for example, not complying with a defamation injunction. The Defamation Act 2013, is the latest UK law on defamation.
Not only are libel cases hard to bring, as others have said, they require substantial deposits but UK law in particular is notoriously stringent about them, to the point that very few people sue for libel in the UK and even fewer win.
The average payout for defamation in the UK will vary depending on the specifics of your case. Minor, short-term defamation might result in a small payout, while serious and long-lasting damage could lead to compensation in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.
In New York, defamation is a civil matter. A person who suffers financial or emotional damages following another person's false statement may choose to sue the offender, which would bring about a case in the appropriate New York court.
English law allows actions for libel to be brought in the High Court for any published statements which are alleged to defame a named or identifiable individual in a manner which causes them loss in their trade or profession, or damages their 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.
There is no sentence for defamation. It is a civil law matter for which actual and punitive monetary damages may be assessed if the plaintiff prevails.