Definition of Slander

What is the definition of the term "slander"? What does the term "slander" mean?

"Slander" occurs when a spoken statement, said or implied to be true, is made that is malicious, negative and defamatory. A slanderous remark will result in damage to a person or business' reputation.

"Slander" and "libel" are often confused - "slander" is a spoken statement, while "libel" is a printed statement (newspaper article, etc).

Let's look at a couple of examples of "slander":

Example 1:

Joe Smith and John Doe own a restaurant in town. The two men eventually fall out, and Joe Smith buys out John Doe.

John Doe holds a grudge against Smith and decides to slander the restaurant.

"XYZ Restaurant uses expired meat" and "Joe Smith keeps all of the service staff's tips for himself" are just some of the untruths that Doe spreads about Smith and the restaurant.

This is slander, as John Doe is making malicious and defamatory remarks against XYZ Restaurant with the intent of damaging their reputation. Doe is also holding these remarks out to be true, when he knows that they are false.

Example 2:

Jill Smith is fired from an insurance company after working there for 7 years. She is bitter about the termination and decide to exact revenge by spreading rumors about her ex-boss.

Jill Smith spreads rumors that her ex-boss was embezzling from the company, even though she knows that this wasn't the case. She is hoping to damage her ex-boss' reputation by spreading false information about him.

Again - this is slander.

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