What are some examples of libelous and non-libelous statements?
The following are a couple of examples from California cases; note the law may vary from state to state. Libelous (when false): • Charging someone with being a communist (in 1959) • Calling an attorney a “crook” • Describing a woman as a call girl • Accusing a minister of unethical conduct • Accusing a father of violating the confidence of son Not-libelous: • Calling a political foe a “thief” and “liar” in chance encounter (because hyperbole in context) • Calling a TV show participant a “local loser,” “chicken butt” and “big skank” • Calling someone a “bitch” or a “son of a bitch” • Changing product code name from “Carl Sagan” to “Butt Head Astronomer” Since libel is considered in context, do not take these examples to be a hard and fast rule about particular phrases. Generally, the non-libelous examples are hyperbole or opinion, while the libelous statements are stating a defamatory fact.
