What kind of proof is required to win a defamation lawsuit?

In Pennsylvania, to win a defamation lawsuit, a plaintiff must be able to prove the following: 1. The defendant made a false statement of fact about the plaintiff that was published to at least one other person; 2. The defendant knew that the statement was false or they made the statement with reckless disregard for the truth (that is, they had no way to know whether the statement was true or false); 3. The false statement caused harm to the plaintiff’s reputation, and; 4. The plaintiff suffered some type of actual damages, such as loss of income or emotional distress. In certain cases, a plaintiff may also have to prove “actual malice.” This means that the defendant made the statement with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard for whether it was true or false. If the defamer is a public figure, the plaintiff must also prove that the false statement was made with “actual malice.” In other words, it is not enough for the plaintiff to prove the false statement caused harm to his reputation. He must also prove that the statement was made with malicious intent. The burden of proof is always on the plaintiff. Therefore, it is important that the plaintiff present clear and convincing evidence to the court that the statement was both false and malicious.

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What kind of proof is required to win a defamation lawsuit?

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