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**Libel** - Public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead.
**Defamation** – includes libel and slander; offense of injuring a person’s character, fame or reputation through false and malicious statements
* That which tends to injure reputation or to diminish the esteem, respect, good will or confidence in the plaintiff or to excite derogatory feelings or opinions about the plaintiff
* Publication of anything which is injurious to the good name or reputation of another or tends to bring him into disrepute
* Invasion of a relational interest since it involves the opinion which others in the community may have, or tend to have, of the plaintiff
**Elements of defamation**
1. There must be an imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, status or circumstance
2. The imputation must be made publicly
3. It must be malicious
4. The imputation must be directed to a natural or juridical person, or one who is dead
5. The imputation must tend to cause the dishonor, discredit or contempt of the person defamed
1. Dishonor – disgrace, shame, or ignominy
2. Discredit – loss of credit or reputation; disesteem
3. Contempt of a natural or juridical person – state of being despised
4. To blacken the memory of one who is dead