Defamation
Understanding Defamation Law
The law of defamation concerns the publication to a third person of what is called an “imputation” of and concerning another person whereby that person’s reputation is injured, or that person is ridiculed, shunned or avoided.
A defamatory publication may be written, oral or by conduct, so newspapers, radio broadcasters, or any person involved in the chain of events leading to publication is a potential defendant. This can include the journalist, the editor, the printer, the newspaper proprietor and the distributor. These persons usually are insured.