What is the meaning of actionable per se?
Generally, it means that a plaintiff does not have to show actual damages before having a viable lawsuit. For example, in slander and libel law, before a slander suit can win damages there must be proof that the person slandered suffered some type of harm like loss of prestige in the community or loss of business. However, some slanders, like saying a particular person is a convicted criminal, are actionable per se, meaning that the plainitff does not have to prove loss of prestige in the community. The law presumes that a false statement that some person is a criminal necessarilly causes damage. A jury would be permitted to award damages without the plaintiff proving that any were actually suffered.
