In the United States of America, the outcome of defamation lawsuits varies as the laws change from state to state. In Colorado, the defamation laws are quite thorough, especially when it comes to libel.
Defamation is the act of harming a business or person’s reputation with false assertations. As per the law, the plaintiff is allowed to file for a lawsuit to get monetary or non-monetary compensation as it is deemed a civil wrong.
Call our libel lawyer in Denver for assistance if you've been victimized by a libelous act.
Libel is any form of written or published communication that makes false assertations. Consequently, they end up causing harm to an individual or business’s reputation. Libel includes all tangible formats, such as photographs, news articles, videos, and other media content.
As per Colorado libel laws, a libeler (a person that falsely asserts fact to third parties, resulting in damage to the reputation of a person or business) is punishable by law if the statements made are deemed defamatory during court proceedings.
A statement is only considered defamatory if it matches the following criteria:
But whether or not the statement is actually defamatory is determined by the whole context of the incident and the verbiage used.
Generally, if the defendant is found guilty of libel, they are required to pay monetary compensation to the plaintiff and some other fines. However, in the case of seditious libel, i.e., defamatory remarks regarding the government, congress, or the president to invoke rebellion among the public, it can lead to imprisonment. Slander, the spoken counterpart to libel, also requires careful legal consideration.
There are two types of defamation lawsuits, including the following:
In defamation per se, the victim does not need to provide any evidence that the published statements caused any monetary or special damages as the remarks are obviously defamatory to the person or business’s reputation.
In defamation per quod, the trial does not proceed unless the victim provides solid evidence that indicates that they suffered special damages from a false remark made by the defendant.
If you or your business has been affected by libel, our libel lawsuit attorneys in Denver at Ernst Legal Group are ready to help. We help victims of defamation earn the compensation they deserve. Contact us now for a free consultation.