Wisconsin Defamation Per Se
Defamation per se, sometimes referred to as ‘libel per se’ or ‘slander per se’, refers to certain types of statements which are considered so inherently inflammatory and defamatory that a defamation plaintif
f need not prove damages (or economic losses). The reason defamation per se exists is to ease the burden of actually having to prove damages when there’s clearly significant damage done.
Wisconsin defamation law dictates that slander (spoken defamation) per se and all printed libels (written defamation)
are actionable and compensable without proving actual monetary loss or other special damages.[efn_note]Teff v. Unity Health Plans Ins. Corp., 2003 WI App 115, ¶ 40, 265 Wis. 2d 703 666 N.W.2d 38 (citing Martin v. Outboard Marine Corp., 15 Wis. 2d 452, 113 N.W.2d 135 (1962)).[/efn_note] Slander will be classified as ‘per se’ when the statement in question alleges:
- ▪ A criminal offense
- ▪ A loathsome disease
- ▪ Unchastity
- ▪ Statements regarding plaintiff in his or her business or profession [efn_note]Bauer v. Murphy, 191 Wis. 2d 517, 530 N.W.2d 1, 3–4 (Ct. App. 1995).[/efn_note]
Do note that even if a statement constitutes slander per se in Wisconsin, a plaintiff cannot recover damages if he or she fails to allege reputational harm flowing from the statement.[efn_note]Janusz v. Olen, 234 Wis. 2d 149, 610 N.W.2d 511, 2000 WI App 71, 2000 WL 136313, at *2 (unpublished opinion).[/efn_note]
For example, a statement ascribing a criminal history to an innocent person was ruled to be defamatory per se in Wisconsin.
Teague v. Schimel, 2017 WI 56.
Defamation per se actions will give rise to “presumed damages,” as the libel or slander plaintiff need not prove damages after all. We will walk you through Wisconsin’s defamation damages in greater detail in
Section 5.
If you’re curious about the flipside of the defamation per se coin is, look no further. Below, let’s take a look at defamation per se’s opposite – defamation per quod.