Leading Brooklyn lawyers to defend slander, libel, and harassment

If you or a loved one was accused of libeling, slandering, or defaming another party, now is the time to retain the services of a top-notch defense attorney in Brooklyn to protect your rights and your pocketbook.

A civil claim of libel, slander, defamation, or harassment can cost you a large amount of time in litigation and a large amount of money if a judge or jury finds in favor of the claimant.

This is why you should have the guidance and counsel of a Brooklyn lawyer to stand up and fight back against the claim.

Overview of Slander and Libel

Slander is a harmful statement in a transitory form (e.g., a statement made during a speech). On the other hand, libel is a harmful statement in a fixed medium (e.g., in writing, in a photograph or other image, or during a digital broadcast). Slander and libel are false or malicious claims that may harm someone’s reputation.

Overview of Harassment

Harassment refers to an array of allegedly offensive behavior. Types of offensive behavior that may be considered harassment include:

• Threatening statements or actions; and/or
• Disturbing statements or action.

There are generally three types of harassments which are: (i) legal harassment, (ii) sexual harassment and (iii) criminal harassment.

As mentioned, harassment can occur through statements, conduct or actions that appear to serve no legitimate purpose but to irritate, alarm, or cause emotional distress for the recipient. Recently, allegations of sexual harassment, especially in the workplace, have been placed in the spotlight through the MeToo Movement.

Harassment is gender neutral, meaning it can be against a woman or a man and the victim is not always of the opposite sex.

It can also be considered harassment if the person is not the intended victim but is allegedly affected by the offensive conduct. In order to be considered harassment, the conduct must be unwanted and unwelcome.

How to Defend Against a Libel / Slander Case

If you are being sued for allegedly committing libel, slander, or harassment, it is important to understand that the claimant (a.k.a. the plaintiff) bears the burden of introducing evidence to substantiate their claim. This means the objective for you and your defense attorneys is to highlight the inconsistencies and shortcomings (both procedural and evidentiary) of the plaintiff’s claim.

For example, in order for a plaintiff to prevail in a defamation claim requires proving the following:

• A false and defamatory statement of fact was made by you, the defendant;
• The false and defamatory statement concerned the plaintiff;
• The false and defamatory statement was published or shared with a third party; and
• The plaintiff suffered a cognizable injury.

As you can see, the burden is fairly large for a plaintiff to succeed in this type of civil claim. Furthermore, the law does not consider any controversial statement to be defamatory. Instead, a claim can only prevail when there evidence of genuine, serious defamation.

Now is the Time to Contact an Experienced Slander / Libel Defense Attorney in Brooklyn

If you or a loved one was allegedly involved in an incident of sexual harassment, or were alleged to have committed libel or slander, you have a right to stand up and advocate for your right against the accuser.

The experienced and skilled attorneys at the Bukh Law Firm, PLLC, understand the anxiety that you may be feeling concerning the potential harm to your reputation from these allegations and can assertively and effectively advocate on your behalf. Contact our office today to schedule a free, confidential case review.