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ABA Family Legal Guide

Personal Injury

Intentional Wrongs

I have a tax-return preparation business, and a neighbor recently told a potential client that I did not know a thing about tax law. Isn't that slander?

You might have a case if the statement is untrue. If someone says something falsely that affects you in your business, trade, or profession, you can recover in a slander action even without showing actual harm to your reputation or other damages. You can do the same in three other situations--if someone says that you committed a crime, that you have a loathsome disease, or that a specific female is unchaste (impure).

Of course, you can recover in other slander cases, but in those you must show that you actually were damaged.

American Bar Association Family Legal Guide
Copyright © 2004 American Bar Association
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