How to Gather Evidence for a Slander Case
Develop a plan of action with an attorney well acquainted with
first amendment free speech issues and tort law. You should have a
compete understanding of what will be expected of you and your
opponent during the entire legal process. Utilize Findlaw's Intake
Form with your attorney in order to make a determination on the
merits of your case (see Resources below).
Step2Gather together a comprehensive package of evidence that
offers the judicial decision maker enough information to make a
proper judgment regarding your case. The better prepared you are to
present your side of the issue, the more you increase your chances
of being victorious if the information indeed supports your
case.
Step3Refrain from making any statements in response to the
person you are accusing of slander until a decision has been
reached in the matter. You do not want to find yourself as a
defendant in a similar case.
Step4Familiarize yourself with what constitutes defamation--and
in particular, slander, at the Media Law Resource Center (see
Resources below). The more information that you gather, the better
equipped you will be to see your case through to the end.
Understand that a slander case cannot be brought simply because
of hurt feelings. If the evidence shows that the statement is true,
then the person you are bringing the case against will have an
ironclad defense in most cases.
Remember that there is a difference between slander and libel,
both of which are forms of defamation. Make sure that you are
bringing the correct cause of action or your case may be
dismissed.
