B. Elements

• Library: Elements of Civil Causes of Action (SCBar) (2021 Ed.)

B. Elements

The plaintiff must allege and prove the following:

(1) a defamatory meaning
(2) publication with actual or implied malice
(3) falsity
(4) publication by the defendant
(5) the message concerns the plaintiff
(6) legally presumed damages or special damages to the plaintiff.¹⁷

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Notes:

^[17] Parker v. Evening Post Publishing Co., 317 S.C. 236, 452 S.E.2d 640 (Ct. App. 1994), cert. denied, 516 U.S. 1172, 116 S. Ct. 1263, 134 L. Ed. 2d 211 (1996). Most courts now state the elements as four. See...