Defamation is any false communication that harms a person's reputation through disparaging statements. It can be a criminal or civil offense and includes both libel, which is written defamation such as in publications, and slander, which is spoken defamation. Libel is considered more serious legally than slander due to the potential of wider distribution of written statements. Slander involves telling untruths about someone to others and can be grounds for a civil lawsuit, with damages typically limited to actual losses unless malicious intent can be proven.

1. Definitions

2. Defamation
 Any intentional false communication, either written or
spoken, that harms a person's reputation; decreases
the respect, regard, or confidence in which a person is
held; or induces disparaging, hostile, or disagreeable
opinions or feelings against a person.
 Defamation may be a criminal or civil charge. It
encompasses both written statements, known as
libel, and spoken statements, called slander.

3. Libel
 Defamation by written or printed words, pictures,
or in any form other than by spoken words or
gestures.
 The act or crime of publishing it.
 A formal written declaration or statement, as one
containing the allegations of a plaintiff or the
grounds of a charge.
 anything that is defamatory or that maliciously or
damagingly misrepresents.

4. Slander
 Oral defamation; in which someone tells one or
more persons an untruth about another which
untruth will harm the reputation of the person
defamed.
 Slander is a civil wrong (tort) and can be the basis
for a lawsuit. Damages (payoff for worth) for slander
may be limited to actual (special) damages unless
there is malicious intent, since such damages are
usually difficult to specify and harder to prove.