What is Defamation?

Simply put, defamation is when another person says things about you that causes you to lose money, reputation, etc. Florida law allows a person who has been damaged by another person’s defamatory language to recover money damages.

Defamation is commonly broken into two separate categories: (1) libel and (2) slander. Libel is defamation but on paper. In other words, if someone writes the defamatory thing down and then publishes it to others, that could be considered libel. Slander is defamation but spoken aloud to others. In Florida, you can file a lawsuit for damages related to either or both.

The catch to defamation cases is that the truth is a defense to defamation. If whatever the other person said or wrote about you is true, then you will lose. A good way to imagine the policy intentions behind this defense is, “if you make your own bed then you lay in it.”

If you have more questions about defamation please contact us at Waggener Law, Pllc. 727-685-8000 or email us at chris@waggenerlaw.com