Can you refer to the plaintiff as a “slut” or a “bitch”?

25 wrz Can you refer to the plaintiff as a “slut” or a “bitch”?

Here is an interesting quotation I came across during my legal research:

„Is it defamatory per se to refer to the plaintiff as a “slut” or a “bitch”? There is no fixed nor pat answer to this question. The term “bitch,” alone, is generally regarded as not actionable per se. However, where such epithets as “bitch” and “cherry” are ambiguous, it is error for the trial court to determine the matter as not slanderous per se as this should be a question of fact for the jury. Cases where “bitch” has been modified by “low lived” and “whoring” have been held to be at least susceptible of a defamatory construction.”

source: American Law of Torts, Stuart M. Speiser, Thomson Reuters

And below you will find two infographics from my book to help you understand the words: defamatory, slanderous, and construction. Sorry, I have not written any books to help you understand the words: bitch, slut, and whoring so you will have to look them up elsewhere if you don’t understand them 😉