What is the difference between, libel, slander and defamation?
Minneapolis litigator David Olsen of Henson & Efron discusses the differences between libel, slander, and defamation.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (612) 339-2500
Historically, libel is something that’s written. Slander is a statement that’s spoken. In more recent years, probably over the last twenty years or so, the lines between them have got blurred. And courts start referring to it now, whether libel, slander, or a combination of both, just as defamation. Technically, that’s probably not the correct term to use because still it’s either libel or it’s slander, but courts have confused it, and it’s become merged now. So everything is called defamation.