{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-417.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-417.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-417.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-417.html"}],"law_id":350930,"edition_id":2,"section_id":350930,"structure_id":50191,"section_number":"18.2-417","catch_line":"Slander and libel","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-256; 1960, c. 358; 1973, c. 526; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2020, c. 900.","full_text":"Any person who shall falsely utter and speak, or falsely write and publish, of and concerning any person of chaste character, any words derogatory of such person’s character for virtue and chastity, or imputing to such person acts not virtuous and chaste, or who shall falsely utter and speak, or falsely write and publish, of and concerning another person, any words which from their usual construction and common acceptation are construed as insults and tend to violence and breach of the peace or who shall use grossly insulting language to any person of good character or reputation is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\nThe defendant shall be entitled to prove upon trial in mitigation of the punishment, the provocation which induced the libelous or slanderous words, or any other fact or circumstance tending to disprove malice, or lessen the criminality of the offense.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1307243,"text":"Any person who shall falsely utter and speak, or falsely write and publish, of and concerning any person of chaste character, any words derogatory of such person’s character for virtue and chastity, or imputing to such person acts not virtuous and chaste, or who shall falsely utter and speak, or falsely write and publish, of and concerning another person, any words which from their usual construction and common acceptation are construed as insults and tend to violence and breach of the peace or who shall use grossly insulting language to any person of good character or reputation is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1307244,"text":"The defendant shall be entitled to prove upon trial in mitigation of the punishment, the provocation which induced the libelous or slanderous words, or any other fact or circumstance tending to disprove malice, or lessen the criminality of the offense.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":50191,"edition_id":2,"name":"Abusive and Insulting Language","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":2,"parent_id":50188,"metadata":{"child_laws":2,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:24:24","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:26","permalink":{"id":1395059,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50191,"identifier":"3","token":"18.2\/9\/3","url":"\/18.2\/9\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50188,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes Against Peace and Order","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":9,"parent_id":50131,"metadata":{"child_laws":39,"child_structures":8},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:24:22","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:25","permalink":{"id":1394997,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50188,"identifier":"9","token":"18.2\/9","url":"\/18.2\/9\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50131,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":52,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":960,"child_structures":94},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:15","permalink":{"id":1391141,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50131,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":350929,"structure_id":50191,"section_number":"18.2-416","catch_line":"Punishment for using abusive language to another","url":"\/18.2-416\/","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-416","metadata":false},{"id":350930,"structure_id":50191,"section_number":"18.2-417","catch_line":"Slander and libel","url":"\/18.2-417\/","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-417","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":350929,"structure_id":50191,"section_number":"18.2-416","catch_line":"Punishment for using abusive language to another","url":"\/18.2-416\/","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-416","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-417\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1973, chapter 526; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 2020, chapter 900<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1395065,"object_type":"law","relational_id":350930,"identifier":"18.2-417","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-417","url":"\/18.2-417\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-417\/","token":"18.2\/9\/3\/18.2-417","dublin_core":{"Title":"Slander and libel","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-417","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any person who shall falsely utter and speak, or falsely write and publish, of and concerning any person of chaste character, any words derogatory of such person’s character for virtue and chastity, or imputing to such person acts not virtuous and chaste, or who shall falsely utter and speak, or falsely write and publish, of and concerning another person, any words which from their usual construction and common acceptation are construed as insults and tend to violence and breach of the peace or who shall use grossly insulting language to any person of good character or reputation is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p>

The defendant<\/span> shall be entitled to prove upon trial<\/span> in mitigation of the punishment, the provocation which induced the libelous or slanderous words, or any other fact<\/span> or circumstance tending to disprove malice<\/span>, or lessen the criminality of the offense<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nSLANDER AND LIBEL (\u00a7 18.2-417)\n\nAny person who shall falsely utter and speak, or falsely write and publish, of\nand concerning any person of chaste character, any words derogatory of such\nperson’s character for virtue and chastity, or imputing to such person\nacts not virtuous and chaste, or who shall falsely utter and speak, or falsely\nwrite and publish, of and concerning another person, any words which from their\nusual construction and common acceptation are construed as insults and tend to\nviolence and breach of the peace or who shall use grossly insulting language to\nany person of good character or reputation is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.\n\nThe defendant shall be entitled to prove upon trial in mitigation of the\npunishment, the provocation which induced the libelous or slanderous words, or\nany other fact or circumstance tending to disprove malice, or lessen the\ncriminality of the offense.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-256; 1960, c. 358; 1973, c. 526; 1975, cc. 14, 15;\n2020, c. 900.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}