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.
Sample Cease And Desist Letter For Patent Infringement In San Bernardino
Category:
State:
Multi-State
County:
San Bernardino
Control #:
US-00423BG
Format:
Word;
Rich Text
Instant download
Description
Form popularity
FAQ
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.
Grounds for a cease and desist letter often involve situations like intellectual property infringement, where your patented, trademarked, or copyrighted work is being used without authorization. In these cases, a cease and desist letter serves as a formal demand to stop this unauthorized use.
A trademark disclaimer statement follows this accepted format: No claim is made to the exclusive right to use THE DISCLAIMED WORD apart from the mark as shown. So, for the name “Delicious Breads,” the disclaimer would look like this: No claim is made to the exclusive right to use 'BREAD' apart from the mark as shown.
Dear Infringer's Name: We have recently discovered that your business is using the mark mark/domain for your service or product. We believe your use infringes on our ownership of the registered trademark/domain mark. We learned of your use of the same or similar mark/domain mark on date.
I demand that you immediately cease the use and distribution of name of infringing work and all other infringing works derived from the Work, and that you delete or remove from circulation all copies, including electronic copies, of same; that you deliver to me, if applicable, all unused, undistrib- uted copies of ...
Anyone can write a cease and desist letter, which is not legally enforceable. Still, it's a good idea to consult an attorney to help you draft it, especially if your issue is embedded in a complex area of law, such as intellectual property or business law.
I demand that you immediately cease the use and distribution of all infringing works derived from the Work, and all copies, including electronic copies, of same, that you deliver to me, if applicable, all unused, undistributed copies of same, or destroy such copies immediately and that you desist from this or any other ...
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.
It is not a legally binding document and may be completely frivolous or difficult to support in court. Even if it is drafted by an attorney, and most reputable attorneys will not help draft a cease and desist letter without merit, it does not guarantee the letter must be followed.
Harassment. If someone is harassing you, a cease and desist letter may convince them to stop. However, you are not required to send a cease and desist letter before taking legal action.
