Defamatory Statement Law and Legal Definition
In Connecticut, a defamatory statement is defined as "a communication that tends to harm the reputation of another as to lower him in the estimation of the community or to deter third persons from associating or dealing with him. To establish a prima facie case of defamation, a plaintiff must demonstrate that: (1) the defendant published a defamatory statement; (2) the defamatory statement identified the plaintiff to a third person; (3) the defamatory statement was published to a third person; and (4) the plaintiff's reputation suffered injury as a result of the statement." Abdul-Salaam v. Lobo-Wadley, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 95703, 10-11 (D. Conn. Oct. 14, 2009)
