Statute of Limitations for Internet Slander Cases | Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace

What is the statute of limitations for defamation?

I am an internet defamation attorney.  Every day. I get calls and emails from average people and companies who are defamed on-line with false statements on a web site, blog post or comment somewhere on the internet. Often, it is a disgruntled employee, competitor or adversary who decides to engage in defamation on the internet in order to achieve pay-back or retribution for some perceived grievance.

One of the first questions an attorney will ask is "when was the defamatory statement posted on the internet?" While there are sometimes exceptions, the general rule in most states is that you have one year to bring a lawsuit for defamation from the date of publication. The statute of limitations for internet defamation, libel, or slander cases in most states is one year. While the discovery rule and "re-publication" of the post or comment can extend the statute of limitations is some circumstances, you need to contact a defamation lawyer to understand how long you have to file a claim for libel in court before your time runs out. Continue reading to see the statute of limitations period for each state, including California, Texas, New York, Florida, Michigan and other states.

Here are the statue of limitation periods for defamation for each state.  Before you decide to sue for defamation, check with a qualified and experienced defamation of character attorney who understands the internet and internet law to understand what statute of limitations applies to your internet slander, libel, or defamation case. These limitations periods sometimes change so the information below should not be taken as legal advice on internet law.