Slander And Libel On Facebook Forms Of Which Tort In Texas

State:
Multi-State
Control #:
US-00423BG
Format:
Word; 
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Description

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.

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FAQ

Defamation is a statement that injures a third party's reputation. The tort of defamation includes both libel (written statements) and slander (spoken statements). State common law and statutory law governs defamation actions, and each state varies in their standards for defamation and potential damages .

To prove a successful defamation claim, the plaintiff must show the following: (1) the defendant published a false statement; (2) that defamed the plaintiff; (3) with the requisite degree of fault regarding the statement's truth; and (4) damages, unless the statement constitutes defamation per se.

Slander is actionable under common law in Texas. Written defamation, or libel, is a false written statement that exposes you to “public hatred, contempt or ridicule, or financial injury.” Libel is actionable by statute in Texas.

Section 119.202 - Criminal Slander or Libel (a) A person commits an offense if the person: (1) knowingly makes, utters, circulates, or transmits to another person a statement that is untrue and derogatory to the financial condition of a savings bank; or (2) with intent to injure a savings bank counsels, aids, procures, ...

Texas law punishes harassment, or conduct that is reasonably likely to annoy, alarm, abuse, torment, offend, embarrass, or be received as threatening bodily injury or other felony against the recipient. Harassment is punishable as a misdemeanor, but may be charged as stalking if a person repeatedly harasses another.

If they are written, they are considered libel. If they are spoken, they are considered slander. If a person suffers injury to their reputation as a result of another person's statements, they can sue through a defamation claim.

To successfully sue for slander in Houston, TX one must establish several elements: A false statement was made. The statement was spoken (not written). The statement was heard by at least one other person. The subject of the statement suffered harm as a result (usually reputational damage).

What Is the Difference Between Libel and Slander? As we've discussed, libel is written defamation. Slander is spoken defamation. Courts typically consider libel to be more harmful than slander because written statements last longer than spoken statements and can be distributed more widely.

A false and defamatory statement about another that is stated as fact (not opinion). Publication. An unprivileged publication or communication of the statement to a third party.

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Slander And Libel On Facebook Forms Of Which Tort In Texas