Does a plaintiff have to prove intent in a slander case?

In California, the plaintiff (the person bringing the case) does not have to prove intent when suing for slander. In the United States, slander is considered a type of defamation. Defamation is when someone says something false and damaging about another person. The statement does not have to be intentional or malicious in order to be considered defamation. In order for a case to be successful, the only thing that needs to be proven is that the statement was damaging to the plaintiff’s reputation. The plaintiff does not need to prove that the defendant knowingly made a false statement. The plaintiff simply needs to show that the statement was heard by a third party and that it was damaging. In California, the plaintiff will have to show that they suffered some type of injury, such as their reputation being damaged, or a financial loss that was a result of the statement. The defendant cannot use truth as a defense for slander, meaning that the statement does not have to be false in order to be considered slander. In conclusion, in California, a plaintiff does not have to prove intent when suing for slander. The plaintiff needs to show that the false and damaging statement was heard by a third party and that it was damaging to their reputation. The defendant cannot use truth as a defense for slander.

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