Defamation
We represent businesses, executives, and professionals whose reputation, a commercial asset, has been damaged by false statements.
3 yrs
Massachusetts limitations period for libel and slander.
41%
U.S. adults who have experienced online harassment.
1
Pew Research Center, “The State of Online Harassment” (Jan. 13, 2021).
$787.5M
Defamation recovery in Dominion v. Fox News.
2
“Fox News settles defamation suit with Dominion”, NPR (Apr. 18, 2023).
1964
New York Times v. Sullivan set the actual-malice standard.
3
“New York Times Co. v. Sullivan”, 376 U.S. 254 (1964).
In 2023, the defamation claims in Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News resolved for $787.5 million, a measure of the stakes in modern reputation litigation.
A reputation is built over years and can be dismantled in a sentence. Online libel travels farther than print once did, and it persists at the top of a search result long after the words are shown to be false, depressing valuations, deterring counterparties, and costing clients. We represent the companies, executives, and professionals injured by false statements of fact, pursuing correction, removal, and damages under Massachusetts and federal law, including privacy and Chapter 93A theories where they apply.
Overview
A reputation underwrites revenue, valuations, and careers, and a false statement of fact that damages it is actionable as defamation. We concentrate where reputation carries commercial weight: trade libel and business disparagement, and the defamation of companies, executives, and professionals.
We act for businesses and individuals whose reputation carries commercial value, from the first demand to final judgment.
Your Rights
- Libel and slander: False statements of fact, published to a third party, that harm reputation are actionable.
- Defamation per se: Imputations of crime, disease, professional misconduct, or serious sexual misconduct presume harm.
- Trade libel and business disparagement: False statements that injure a business or its goods, with damages tied to economic loss.
- Standards of fault: Negligence for private figures; actual malice for public figures under New York Times Co. v. Sullivan.
- Damages: Compensatory damages for reputational harm and emotional distress, recoverable in libel and slander per se without proof of economic loss; special damages for economic loss; and multiplied damages and attorney's fees only on a Chapter 93A theory, since Massachusetts bars punitive damages in defamation.
The firm handles complex defamation, cyber libel, and doxxing matters, including the identification of anonymous publishers.
Lawyer's Role
We assess the statement, the speaker, and the audience before we act. We preserve the record, issue notice and retraction demands, and move to unmask anonymous publishers through subpoenas to platforms and providers.
We try the cases that warrant trial, build claims to withstand anti-SLAPP challenges, and pursue the removal and de-indexing that translate a judgment into a repaired reputation, coordinating with our AI law, personal injury, and civil rights practices and with experienced trial counsel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue over a false statement posted about me online in Massachusetts?
Yes, where a false statement of fact, not opinion, is published to others and harms your reputation. Online statements are libel. We pursue correction, removal, and damages, and we identify anonymous publishers where needed.
What is the difference between libel and slander?
Libel is written or otherwise fixed, which includes online posts and images. Slander is spoken. Both are forms of defamation; the permanence of libel usually makes harm easier to establish.
What is the statute of limitations for defamation in Massachusetts?
Three years in Massachusetts. The single-publication rule generally runs the period from the date of first publication, so early action matters.
Can I find out who is behind an anonymous account?
Often, yes. Courts permit subpoenas to platforms and service providers to identify pseudonymous publishers, subject to First Amendment safeguards that we are prepared to meet.
Is doxxing actionable?
Publishing a home address or private information can support a claim under the Massachusetts right of privacy, and it strengthens a related defamation claim and a request for injunctive relief.
Can defamatory content be removed from the internet?
A court can order removal of statements adjudicated false; platforms may act sooner on privacy and harassment grounds, particularly where a home address is exposed; and de-indexing can follow.
Do I have a defamation case?
You likely have a claim if someone published a false statement of fact about you to a third party that harmed your reputation, and the statement is not opinion or substantially true. We assess the statement, the audience, your status as a private or public figure, and the provable harm before advising whether to proceed.
What damages can I recover in a defamation case?
Recovery can include compensatory damages for actual reputational harm and emotional distress; in libel and slander per se, these are available without proof of specific economic loss. Special damages cover provable economic loss such as lost clients or contracts. Massachusetts does not permit punitive damages in defamation; where the same conduct is an unfair or deceptive act in trade or commerce, a Chapter 93A claim can add multiplied damages (up to treble) and attorney’s fees. Removal of the content and a corrected record are often as valuable as money.
How long does a defamation case take?
It varies. An urgent takedown or retraction can move in days or weeks, while a contested suit through discovery and trial typically runs many months to a few years. Early evidence preservation and a prompt demand often shorten the path and improve the result.
What does a defamation case cost?
It depends on the matter. High-stakes commercial and reputation cases are usually handled on an hourly or hybrid basis; some demand-and-takedown matters suit a flat fee, and select cases a contingency. We set the structure after assessing the claim, the defendant, and the recoverable harm.
