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.
File For Defamation In San Diego
Category:
State:
Multi-State
County:
San Diego
Control #:
US-00423BG
Format:
Word;
Rich Text
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FAQ
An individual, which includes a sole proprietorship, may file a claim up to a maximum of $12,500. Only the actual party to the claim may file. You must represent yourself at the small claims hearing. Attorneys or others are not permitted to represent a party in small claims court.
A: In California, Small Claims Courts generally handle disputes involving monetary claims up to a certain limit. They are not typically equipped to handle complex cases involving defamation, racial discrimination, harassment, or emotional distress.
San Diego Superior Court Division Addresses: Central DivisionCentral DivisionNorth County Division 1100 Union Street San Diego, CA 92101 330 W. Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 325 S. Melrose Drive Vista, CA 92081
Conclusion: Going to small claims court may be worth it for $500, but it will determine how you weigh your costs versus benefits. At a minimum, it is worth it to send a demand letter.
You must fill out an Answer, serve the plaintiff, and file your Answer form with the court. Generally, this is due within 30 days after you were served. If you don't, the plaintiff can ask for a default. If there's a default, the court won't let you file an Answer and can decide the case without you.
Fill out the Summons (form SUM-100) and a Complaint. Also, fill out a Civil Case Cover Sheet (form CM-010). Since you are the one filing a lawsuit, you're called the plaintiff. The person or company you're suing is the defendant.
In California, you must prove five elements to establish a defamation claim: An intentional publication of a statement of fact; That is false; That is unprivileged; That has a natural tendency to injure or causes “special damage;” and, The defendant's fault in publishing the statement amounted to at least negligence.
The Process of a Civil Lawsuit As the plaintiff, you are required to file civil complaint (with accompanying civil cover sheet and summons) with the Superior Court of San Diego, and then serve the defendants, the person(s) that you are suing.
Building Your Defamation Case The first step is to issue a letter under the Defamation Act. You could think of this as a cease and desist letter but its technical name is a concerns notice. If the behaviour does not stop and no apology is given, the next step is to commence court proceedings.
