Pennsylvania Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
Pennsylvania defamation laws: the one-year deadline to sue (42 Pa.C.S. 5523), libel vs slander, defamation per se, and the 2024 anti-SLAPP law.
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Defamation Laws
175 articles · page 3 of 3
Peru Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Peru defamation is civil and criminal: injuria (Art 130), calumnia (Art 131) and difamacion (Art 132) are Penal Code crimes carrying fines or prison.
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Philippines Defamation Laws: Libel & Cyber Libel
The Philippines treats defamation as both a crime (libel, Revised Penal Code) and a civil wrong, with cyber libel under RA 10175 carrying higher penalties.
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Poland Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Poland defamation is both criminal and civil. Criminal Code article 212 punishes it; the Civil Code allows an injunction, apology, and compensation.
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Portugal Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Portugal defamation is both criminal and civil. Penal Code Articles 180 to 183 punish difamacao and injuria; the Civil Code allows damages.
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Qatar Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Qatar is both civil and criminal: Penal Code articles 326-331 and Cybercrime Law 14/2014 (up to 3 years, QR 100,000) for online insult.
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Rhode Island Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
Rhode Island defamation laws: a one-year slander deadline, a three-year libel deadline (R.I. Gen. Laws 9-1-14), and the anti-SLAPP statute (9-33-1).
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Romania Defamation Laws: Civil Liability & Defences
In Romania defamation is a civil matter only. Criminal defamation was repealed; the Civil Code protects dignity and reputation under articles 72 and 253.
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Roy Moore Asks the Supreme Court to Revive His Defamation Award, Explained
Roy Moore filed emergency application 25A1396 asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stay an 11th Circuit ruling that erased his $8.2M defamation verdict. Pending.
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Russia Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Russia defamation is both civil (Civil Code Art. 152) and criminal (Criminal Code Art. 128.1), decriminalised in 2011 then re-criminalised in 2012.
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Rwanda Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Rwanda decriminalized ordinary defamation in its 2018 Penal Code, but insulting or defaming the President stays criminal (Article 236, 5 to 7 years).
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Saudi Arabia Defamation Laws: Criminal & Sharia
Defamation in Saudi Arabia is primarily criminal under Sharia (ta'zir) and the Anti-Cyber Crime Law (Royal Decree M/17, 2007) for online statements.
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Scotland Defamation Laws: The 2021 Act Explained
How defamation works in Scotland under the 2021 Act: serious harm, the truth, honest opinion and public interest defences, and the one-year limit.
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Senegal Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Defamation in Senegal is civil and criminal: Penal Code arts 258 to 266 punish diffamation and injure with prison and fines; victims can claim damages.
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Singapore Court Orders Bloomberg to Pay Two Ministers S$230,000 Each in Defamation Ruling
Singapore's High Court ruled Bloomberg defamed ministers Shanmugam and Tan See Leng in [2026] SGHC 147, awarding S$230,000 each and rejecting a public-interest defense.
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Singapore Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Singapore is a common-law tort refined by the Defamation Act 1957, plus criminal defamation under Penal Code 499 to 500 and the POFMA regime.
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Slovakia Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Slovakia defamation is both criminal and civil. Criminal Code section 373 (ohovaranie) punishes it, and Civil Code sections 11 to 13 allow damages.
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Slovenia Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Slovenia defamation is both criminal and civil. Criminal Code articles 158 to 162 create the offences, and the Obligations Code allows damages.
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South Africa Defamation Laws: Civil Claims Since the 2024 Repeal
Criminal defamation was abolished in South Africa on 3 April 2024. See civil defamation elements, defences, damages, and crimen injuria in this 2026 guide.
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South Carolina Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
South Carolina defamation laws: a 2-year deadline to sue under S.C. Code 15-3-550, no anti-SLAPP statute, per se categories, damages, and how to file.
7 min read
South Dakota Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
South Dakota defamation laws: a 2-year deadline under SDCL 15-2-15, a new 2026 anti-SLAPP law (SB 137), libel and slander by statute, and how to sue.
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South Dakota's First Anti-SLAPP Law, SB 137, Takes Effect July 1, 2026
South Dakota's SB 137, adopting the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, took effect July 1, 2026, the state's first anti-SLAPP law.
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South Korea Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in South Korea is both civil and criminal. Criminal Act Article 307 punishes even true-fact statements; cyber defamation is heavily prosecuted.
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Spain Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Spain treats defamation as both a crime (calumnia and injurias in the Penal Code) and a civil wrong under Organic Law 1/1982 on honour.
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Supreme Court Denies Trump Appeal of Carroll $5M Verdict
The Supreme Court denied certiorari on June 29, 2026, leaving intact the $5 million jury verdict against Trump for abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll.
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Supreme Court Won't Revive Dershowitz's $300 Million CNN Defamation Suit; Thomas and Gorsuch Renew Attack on the Sullivan Standard
The Supreme Court denied cert on June 29, 2026 in Dershowitz v. CNN (No. 25-770), ending the $300M suit. Thomas and Gorsuch dissented, urging reconsideration of the Sullivan actual-malice standard.
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Sweden Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Sweden defamation is both criminal and civil. The Criminal Code Chapter 5 punishes fortal; the Tort Liability Act allows damages for violation.
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Switzerland Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Switzerland defamation is both criminal and civil. Penal Code arts 173, 174 and 177 create the offences; Civil Code art 28 protects personality.
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Taiwan Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Taiwan is both civil and criminal. Criminal Code Articles 309 and 310 were upheld by the Constitutional Court in 2000 and again in 2024.
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Tanzania Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
Defamation in Tanzania is now mainly civil after a 2023 Media Services Act reform, but the Cybercrimes Act 2015 still criminalizes false online info.
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Tennessee Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
Tennessee defamation laws: slander is 6 months (T.C.A. 28-3-103), libel is 1 year (28-3-104), plus the Tennessee Public Participation Act anti-SLAPP.
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Texas Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & Suing (2026)
Texas defamation laws: a 1-year deadline under CPRC 16.002, the strong TCPA anti-SLAPP statute (Chapter 27), the retraction request rule, and how to sue.
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Thailand Defamation Laws: Criminal & Civil
Defamation in Thailand is a criminal offence (Penal Code ss.326-333) and a civil wrong, with online cases under the Computer Crime Act.
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The Atlantic Asks a Court to Dismiss Kash Patel's Defamation Suit: The Actual-Malice Standard, Explained
The Atlantic moved on July 27, 2026 to dismiss FBI Director Kash Patel's defamation suit, arguing he cannot meet the actual-malice standard. The motion is undecided.
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Trump's Defamation Lawsuits: Who He Sued and Who Sued Him
There is no official tally of Trump's defamation cases. A sourced guide to the major ones, where he is both a plaintiff and a defendant. Verified June 20, 2026.
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Tunisia Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Tunisia defamation is civil and criminal. The Penal Code, the 2011 Press Decree, and Decree-Law 54 of 2022 penalise defamatory and false speech.
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Turkey Defamation Laws: Civil, Criminal & Defences
In Turkey defamation is criminal and civil. Penal Code Article 125 punishes insult, Article 299 covers insulting the President; Civil Code allows damages.
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Tyra Banks Sues Netflix for Defamation Over "America's Next Top Model" Docuseries
Tyra Banks sued Netflix (No. 2:26-cv-06467, C.D. Cal.) over the ANTM docuseries, alleging her interview was edited into a false, defamatory narrative.
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UAE Defamation Laws: Criminal, Cyber & Civil
Defamation in the UAE is mainly criminal under the Penal Code (Decree-Law 31/2021) and Cybercrime Law (Decree-Law 34/2021); civil claims also possible.
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UK Court of Appeal Holds Richard Tice's Hamas Quote-Tweet Was Opinion, Dismissing Dale Vince's Libel Appeal
England's Court of Appeal dismissed Dale Vince's libel appeal on July 1, 2026, holding Richard Tice's Hamas quote-tweet was opinion, not fact, under the Defamation Act 2013.
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UK Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & the 2013 Act
How UK defamation law works in England and Wales: the Defamation Act 2013, the serious harm test, libel vs slander, defences, time limits and how to sue.
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Ukraine Defamation Laws: Civil Liability & Defences
In Ukraine defamation is a civil matter only, decriminalised in 2001 and now governed by the Civil Code (Articles 277, 297, 299), not the Criminal Code.
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UnitedHealth's Defamation Suit Against The Guardian Dismissed
A Delaware judge dismissed all six defamation counts UnitedHealth Group brought against The Guardian, ruling the 2025 reporting on nursing-home payments was substantially true.
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Uruguay Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Uruguay is civil and criminal under Penal Code arts 333-334, but Law 18.515 (2009) protects public-interest speech.
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Utah Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & Suing (2026)
Utah defamation laws: a 1-year deadline (Utah Code 78B-2-302), the UPEPA anti-SLAPP statute, per se categories, retraction, and how to sue.
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Venezuela Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Venezuela is civil and criminal: Penal Code arts 442-446 punish difamacion and injuria with prison and fines, plus civil damages.
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Vermont Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & Suing (2026)
Vermont defamation laws: a 3-year deadline (12 V.S.A. 512), the 12 V.S.A. 1041 anti-SLAPP special motion to strike, per se categories, and how to sue.
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Vietnam Defamation Laws: Civil & Criminal
Defamation in Vietnam is both civil (Civil Code art. 34) and criminal (Penal Code arts. 155-156, plus art. 331), including online speech.
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Virginia Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & Suing (2026)
Virginia defamation laws: a 1-year deadline (Va. Code 8.01-247.1), the 8.01-223.2 anti-SLAPP immunity, insulting words, per se categories, and how to sue.
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Washington Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & Suing (2026)
Washington defamation laws: a 2-year deadline (RCW 4.16.100), the new UPEPA anti-SLAPP statute (Chapter 4.105 RCW), per se categories, and how to sue.
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West Virginia Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
West Virginia defamation laws: the one-year statute of limitations (W. Va. Code 55-2-12), per se categories, and why the state has no anti-SLAPP law.
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Wisconsin Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
Wisconsin defamation laws: the three-year statute of limitations (Wis. Stat. 893.57), per se categories, the 895.05 correction rule, and no anti-SLAPP.
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World Defamation Laws by Country
Defamation laws by country: where libel and slander are civil, where they are criminal, plus penalties, defences and how to sue, across 80+ countries.
5 min read
Wyoming Defamation Laws: Libel & Slander (2026)
Wyoming defamation laws: the one-year statute of limitations (Wyo. Stat. 1-3-105), per se categories, broadcast damage limits, and no anti-SLAPP law.
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Zimbabwe Defamation Laws: Civil Claims & Defences
Defamation in Zimbabwe is now civil only: criminal defamation was ruled unconstitutional in Madanhire v AG (2014) and confirmed void in 2016.
7 min read