Defamation of character occurs when someone makes a false statement against you, which they publish or state as fact, causing harm to your personal and professional reputation and other damages, such as emotional distress and financial loss.

According to the First Amendment, everyone has the right to free speech. However, defamation laws protect people from suffering harm to their reputations, careers, finances, and health from false statements made by other people.

Unfortunately, defamation of character can be challenging to define, prove, and prosecute. In this article, you will learn about the definition of defamation, its two primary types, how to prove it, and other things you need to know when filing a defamation lawsuit.