Oral defamation in which someone tells one or more persons a lie about another which lie will harm the reputation of the person defamed. Damages for slander may be limited to actual (special) damages unless there is malicious intent. Where malicious intent is proven, the injured party will be entitled to recover general or even punitive damages.

Damaging the reputation of a person or a group of people by publishing or saying bad things about them that are not true. More specifically, saying words which amount to defamation is slander and defamation in other forms, such as printed words or images, is libel.

To publish in print (including pictures), writing or broadcast through radio, television or film, a lie about another which will do harm to that person or his/her reputation, by bringing the person targeted into ridicule, hatred, scorn or contempt of others. It is a civil wrong and exposes the party that publishes the lie to be sued for damages by the person that can prove the statement about him/her was a lie. Publication need only to be made to one person, but it must be a statement that claims to be fact, and is not clearly identified as an opinion. Although it is sometimes said that the person that makes the statement must have been intentional and malicious, in reality it need only be obvious that the statement would do harm and is untrue. Proof of malice entitles the injured party to sue for general damages for damage to reputation, while an inadvertent libel limits the damages to actual harm called special damages.

The process of calculating how much money compensation a court should award a party following a breach of contract, personal injury or other monetary claim.

Any matter of fact that a party to a claim or action offers to provide to prove or disprove an issue in the case. The strongest type of evidence is that which provides direct proof of the truth of an assertion. At the other extreme is evidence that is merely consistent with an assertion but does not rule out other, contradictory assertions, and may be viewed as circumstantial evidence.

The process whereby a party is made aware of the commencement of legal proceedings affecting their rights, obligations or duties. Although the format may vary, there are strict requirements regarding service of a legal notice which must be adhered to if the legal notice to be effective.

A decision of a court regarding the rights and liabilities of the parties to legal proceedings. Judgments generally provide the court’s explanation as to why it has chosen to make a particular decision.