Libel
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Rutm (talk | contribs) at 18:44, June 26, 2008. It may differ significantly from current revision.
Libel is published (written) defamation which tends to injure a person's reputation. It is contrasted with slander, which is spoken defamation.
There are two types of libel, libel per se and libel per quod.
One of the defenses against libel is truth. In the United States, truth is an absolute defense meaning that until the statements are proven false, the litigation will be concluded in the favor of the defense. Furthermore, the statement must be presented as a fact. In some cases, also extends to if the person making the statement has a reasonable belief that the statements being made are true.