Libel

Libel is a defamatory statement communicated in a lasting form, such as writing or broadcast, that may expose its publisher to civil liability. Legal definitions and required elements vary by jurisdiction.

Defamation: Communication of a false statement of fact that harms another person’s reputation and meets a jurisdiction’s legal requirements. Libel is the lasting-form branch of this broader category of reputational torts.
Libel per se: A category of libel treated as inherently harmful under some legal systems, without proof of specific financial loss. It can alter what a claimant must establish about damages.
Slander: Defamation communicated in a transient form, traditionally speech, rather than a lasting form. Libel is traditionally distinguished from slander by the statement’s form of communication.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan: A 1964 United States Supreme Court decision establishing the actual-malice standard for public officials’ defamation claims. It constitutionalized a demanding fault requirement for many claims involving public affairs.
Publication (law): In defamation law, communication of a statement to at least one person other than its subject. A libel claim generally requires the statement to reach someone beyond the person it concerns.
Libel per quod: Libel whose defamatory meaning depends on context or requires proof of specific consequential harm in some jurisdictions. It contrasts with statements treated as inherently defamatory.
False light: A privacy tort in some United States jurisdictions involving publicity that misleadingly portrays someone in a highly offensive way. It can overlap with libel but focuses on misleading portrayal and privacy injury.
Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc.: A 1974 United States Supreme Court decision setting constitutional limits on defamation liability involving private individuals. It distinguished private plaintiffs from public officials and public figures.
Falsity: The quality of a claim that does not correspond to the facts it asserts. Truth is generally a defense to libel, while rules about who must prove falsity vary.
Opinion privilege: Legal protection for certain expressions of opinion, especially where they do not imply provably false facts. Calling a statement opinion does not automatically protect it if it implies false factual claims.

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