Slander and Libel Act (740 ILCS 145/)

Chapter 740 — Civil Liabilities

This text is maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau for legislative drafting purposes and is NOT the official text of the Illinois Compiled Statutes; the only official copy is the printed copy maintained by the Secretary of State.

Sec. 0.01. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Slander and Libel Act.

(Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

Sec. 1.

That if any person shall falsely use, utter or publish words, which in their common acceptance, shall amount to charge any person with having been guilty of fornication or adultery, such words so spoken shall be deemed actionable, and he shall be deemed guilty of slander.

(Source: R.S. 1874, p. 992.)

Sec. 2.

It shall be deemed slander, and shall be actionable, to charge any person with swearing falsely, or with having sworn falsely, or for using uttering or publishing words of, to or concerning any person, which, in their common acceptation, amount to such charge, whether the words be spoken in conversation of, and concerning a judicial proceeding or not.

(Source: R.S. 1874, p. 992.)

Sec. 3.

In actions for slander or libel, an unproved allegation of the truth of the matter charged shall not be deemed proof of malice, unless the jury, on the whole case, find that such defense was made with malicious intent. And it shall be competent for the defendant to establish the truth of the matter charged by a preponderance of testimony.

(Source: R.S. 1874, p. 992.)