Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Trade libel is when someone writes or records something that harms a business or product. It is a type of defamation, which means saying or writing something untrue that hurts someone's reputation. Trade slander is similar, but it is spoken instead of written or recorded. If the untrue statement is really bad, like accusing someone of a crime or a disease, the person who was harmed doesn't have to prove how much money they lost because of it. But if the untrue statement isn't as bad, they have to prove how much money they lost because of it.
Definition: Trade libel is a type of defamation that is written or recorded and harms a business's reputation. It is similar to libel, which is a written or published false statement that harms a person's reputation. However, trade libel specifically targets a business or its products or services.
Example: A blogger writes a post claiming that a popular restaurant uses expired ingredients in their dishes. This false statement harms the restaurant's reputation and could cause customers to avoid eating there. This is an example of trade libel.
Explanation: The false statement made by the blogger harms the restaurant's reputation and could cause financial harm to the business. This is why trade libel is considered a serious offense and can result in legal action.