Defamation of Character Oregon - Explained

When someone says something negative about you, whether verbally or in writing, you may be able to sue them. Defamation occurs when statements or actions are made that harm one's reputation. If you are living in Oregon and have experience defamation, this article is for you!

In this article, we will discuss the defamation of character laws in Oregon, the elements that you need to know before filing an action, and how you can generate your cease and desist letter before going to court using !

Things to Know About the Defamation of Character Laws in Oregon

Different standards apply to different people when it comes to defamation laws in Oregon. If a person is a private individual, he/she has more protection by the law as opposed to a public figure or a famous person. These famous persons have less protection in law because they are willingly in the spotlight and of public concern.

In Oregon, the procedure to prove defamation of character involves the following elements:

Publication

The defamatory statement must be made to a third party.

Injury to reputation

As is the case in all civil cases, there should be an injury caused to the private individual or his/her reputation.

Defamation per se: these do not require any proof of damage because they are considered harmful in themselves. Some examples are:

statements charging the private individual of a crime
statements about the individual having sexually transmitted disease
statements about the individual being morally corrupt

Falsity or fault

The statement must be false or published negligently because the defendant failed to care about the truth of his/her statement before publishing it.

Slander vs. libel

Slander: slander is a defamatory statement made verbally without anything written. It can be disseminated through radio or television.
Libel is any defamatory statement that is written and published through mediums such as newspapers, social media, or a website.

Actual malice and negligence

As a private individual, you must demonstrate that the person making the defamatory statement was at least negligent in considering the truth or falsity of the defamatory statement. If you are a public official or a public figure, you must demonstrate that the defendant acted with malice, and neglected the falsity of his statement on purpose.

Defenses and Privileges of Defamation Cases in Oregon

Oregon defamation of character laws recognizes several defenses and privileges by the defendant against the private individual the statement has been made about. The most common of these defenses are:

Truth

An ultimate defense against the plaintiff’s claim can be the truth. If the statement is true, the defendant can win the case easily, even if the statement seriously hurts your reputation.

Opinion

An opinion is a personal observation rather than a statement claiming objective reality. A defendant can avoid liability if he argues that he was expressing merely a personal opinion and not a statement of fact about the plaintiff. This is protected under the Freedom of Speech Act.

Privilege

Because some people have particular legal privileges, they can speak without being liable to defamation. These privileges exist so that certain people can speak freely without the fear of being sued for defamation. While performing their official tasks, public officials are frequently granted these privileges. Those making public declarations in legislative or judicial procedures are protected as well.

Why Should You Write a Cease and Desist Letter?

Your first action should be to write a cease and desist letter to the person who made the defamatory statement about you. This will save you both time and money because the legal expenses and procedures can be costly. By writing this letter and serving it to the person or business making the claim, you will have the chance to settle it out of court. This letter will help you to resolve the issue easier but the letter should be professionally written and powerful enough to sway the other party, who will assume that you will take legal action.

Write Your Cease and Desist Letter Easily With DoNotPay!

If you do not want to hire a lawyer and pay the expenses, is here to help you write a professional and strongly worded cease and desist letter to the defendant! All you need to do is:

1. Search for the Defamation Demand Letters product on .

2. Answer the following questions: Was it slander or libel? What was the false statement and why was it false? What damage resulted from the defamation?

3. Based on your state’s defamation laws, DoNotPay will generate you a customized cease and desist letter.

All you have to do is spend a few minutes of your time answering these questions and DoNotPay will prepare your letter, which you can take and serve to the defendant in question.