Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in South Dakota
Libel
A high ranking public official made accusations of theft against me. I was indicted by a grand jury on three charges of grand theft. I challenged the facts and after further investigation the 3 charges were dropped completly by the District attorney. I feel that the public exposure (media) has damaged my reputation and will have lingering effects for years. I live in a small midwestern community. Do I have right to seek some kind of remidy and if so what is the best avenue to pursue.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Libel
Your best bet is to hire an attorney skilled with defamation.
Public figures don't get to go around defaming people, because that's almost never in their professional , usually the battle is over whether THEY are defamed.
On the other hand, if you are a public figure yourself, the standards for defamation are pretty well defined and you'll need to see whether you can meet the standards for any possibility of recovery.
If you get into court, at least try to mediate the case.