Key point 4-02. Defamation consists of (1) oral or written statements about another person; (2) that are false; (3) that are "published" (that is, communicated to other persons); and (4) that injure the other person's reputation.
If the words are oral, the defamation is sometimes called slander. If the words are written, the defamation may be referred to as libel. Although this terminology is still widely used, there is a tendency to refer to both slander and libel as defamation.
Defamation involves injury to another's reputation rather than feelings. To illustrate, the courts have held that it is defamatory to say of another that he refuses to pay his just debts, that he is immoral, about to be divorced, a hypocrite, a liar, a scoundrel, a crook, or a swindler.[4] See generally Annot., 87 A.L.R.2d 453 (1963). In each instance, a court concluded that the victim's esteem ...
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