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.
Slander And Libel In Jamaica In Nassau
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State:
Multi-State
County:
Nassau
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US-00423BG
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FAQ
Truth is the best defense to defamation. For example if sued for calling a person a criminal, then the defendant could produce a valid record of a criminal conviction, properly certified and exemplified and the defendant would probably be granted summary judgement.
Generally, to win a defamation lawsuit, you must prove that: Someone made a statement; The statement was published; The statement caused your injury; The statement was false; and. The statement did not fall into a privileged category.
Truth, or substantial truth, is a complete defense to a claim of defamation.
If you have a reputation in Jamaica, you can sue here even if the defamatory communication is published on the internet or abroad.
Truth is the first, and easiest, defense to a defamation claim. As discussed in the elements of defamation, the statement about you must have been false. If a Defendant can show that the statements were true, or even substantially true, then they could defeat a claim for defamation.
Address It Directly: If appropriate, consider confronting the person spreading the slander. Approach them calmly and express how their words have affected you. Sometimes, a direct conversation can resolve misunderstandings. Seek Support: Talk to trusted friends, family, or colleagues about the situation.
A person who wishes to take legal action for defamation must be able to prove that they have suffered, or could suffer, 'serious harm'. If a corporation is suing for defamation, it needs to prove that it has suffered 'serious financial loss' as a result of the publication of the allegedly defamatory matter.
DEFAMATION ACT 2005 - SECT 9 (1) A corporation has no cause of action for defamation in relation to the publication of defamatory matter about the corporation unless it was an excluded corporation at the time of the publication.
Truth is widely accepted as a complete defense to all defamation claims.
More info
This Act may be cited as the Libel and Slander Act. aofltifle. Defamatory Words and Libel. 2.The legal framework for defamation in Jamaica used to consist of the Libel and Slander Act, 1851 and the Defamation Act, 1961. Libel refers to defamation expressed through the written word, while slander indicates oral defamation. (iii) false imprisonment;. The Libel and Slander Act Statute Details Preamble: An act to amend the law respecting defamatory words and libel. "Defamation" is a general term for any statement that damages one's reputation. When written, it is called "libel. Essentially, Jamaica's defamation statutes are very similar to plaintiff-friendly slander and libel laws in countries like the United Kingdom and Canada. Libel or slander case under the FTCA and you can't sue if the government mishandles, detains or loses your belongings.
