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Student name:__________
TRUE/FALSE – Write ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if the statement is false.
1) Defamation can be defined as a false statement of fact about the plaintiff that is
communicated by the defendant to a third party that causes the plaintiff emotional distress.
⊚ true
⊚ false
2) There is no federal anti-SLAP law.
⊚ true
⊚ false
3) A person can be identified for the purposes of a libel suit even if he or she is not
identified by name specifically in the story.
⊚ true
⊚ false
4) In a defamation case involving a matter of public concern, all plaintiffs have the burden
of proof of proving allegedly defamatory statements are false.
⊚ true
⊚ false
5) The cost of defending against a libel suit is as much of a problem for the press as multi–
million-dollar judgments.
⊚ true
⊚ false
6) In a libel suit, the judge is tasked with determining if a statement is capable of being
defamatory.
⊚ true
⊚ false
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7) Republishing a widespread rumor is protected from a libel suit by the First Amendment.
⊚ true
⊚ false
8) The number of defamation cases reaching trial against media defendants has been
steadily increasing.
⊚ true
⊚ false
9) Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act protects websites from lawsuits that
stem from content posted by third parties.
⊚ true
⊚ false
10) Advertisements can give rise to defamation claims.
⊚ true
⊚ false
11) A statement is defamatory if it affects a person’s reputation with even a single member of
a community.
⊚ true
⊚ false
MULTIPLE CHOICE – Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or
answers the question.
12) Which of the following cannot sue for civil libel?
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A) any living person who has been libeled
B) any corporation that has been libeled
C) the estate of any dead person who has been libeled
D) any corporate officer who has been libeled
13) A newspaper reports that an individual is a sex offender who has not registered with the
state. Which of the following descriptions of this individual would NOT sufficiently identify this
person for purposes of a libel suit?
A) the man who lives at 4276 Oak Street in Middleton, Wisconsin
B) a Middleton, Wisconsin, resident who is one of the three male faculty members in
the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Wisconsin
C) a 45-year-old Middleton, Wisconsin, resident
D) all of the answers are correct.
14) In evaluating the truth or falsity of an article, a court will consider
A) the motives of the defendant.
B) material errors of fact.
C) whether there was time to check the story.
D) all of the answers are correct.
15) In the 21 st century, most states regard libel and slander
A) as the same tort.
B) as criminal actions.
C) as federal matters.
D) as violations of the First Amendment.
16) A person who is libel-proof will have difficulty winning a libel suit because
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A) of the fault rule.
B) there is insufficient identification.
C) he or she resides outside the court’s jurisdiction.
D) his or her reputation was seriously damaged even before the publication of the libel.
17) Anti-SLAPP laws
A) exist only in California and Florida.
B) have been ruled to be unconstitutional.
C) have been adopted in about 30 states.
D) are largely ineffective.
18) A defamatory statement causes:
A) reputational harm to the plaintiff.
B) emotional distress to the plaintiff.
C) the plaintiff to lose self-esteem.
D) financial harm.
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Answer Key
Test name: chapter 4