Defamation Laws in Mississippi

How long you have to sue for libel or slander in Mississippi, and any retraction rules, from the state code.

Short answer: A lawsuit for libel or slander must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrues. The same one-year limit covers assault, false imprisonment, malicious arrest and similar claims. Miss. Code Ann. §15-1-35 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Deadline to sue for defamation (libel and slander)	A lawsuit for libel or slander must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrues. The same one-year limit covers assault, false imprisonment, malicious arrest and similar claims. Read on FindLaw (a public copy of the official code, shown as current as of January 1, 2025); check against the official code. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §15-1-35 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)
Retraction (correction) rules	Before suing a Mississippi newspaper or radio or TV station for libel, the plaintiff must serve written notice at least 10 days before filing, identifying the article or broadcast and the statements claimed to be false and defamatory. If the publisher acted in good faith on an honest mistake of fact with reasonable grounds to believe the statement true, and runs a full and fair correction, apology and retraction within 10 days after the notice, as prominently as the original, the plaintiff may recover only actual damages if the jury so finds. These are affirmative defenses the defendant must plead and prove. The retraction rule does not apply to statements about a candidate made within 10 days of the election, or to editorials and regular opinion columns. Read on FindLaw (a public copy of the official code, shown as current as of January 1, 2025); check against the official code. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §95-1-5 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Deadline to sue for defamation (libel and slander)

A lawsuit for libel or slander must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrues. The same one-year limit covers assault, false imprisonment, malicious arrest and similar claims.

Read on FindLaw (a public copy of the official code, shown as current as of January 1, 2025); check against the official code.

Source: Miss. Code Ann. §15-1-35 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Retraction (correction) rules

Before suing a Mississippi newspaper or radio or TV station for libel, the plaintiff must serve written notice at least 10 days before filing, identifying the article or broadcast and the statements claimed to be false and defamatory. If the publisher acted in good faith on an honest mistake of fact with reasonable grounds to believe the statement true, and runs a full and fair correction, apology and retraction within 10 days after the notice, as prominently as the original, the plaintiff may recover only actual damages if the jury so finds. These are affirmative defenses the defendant must plead and prove. The retraction rule does not apply to statements about a candidate made within 10 days of the election, or to editorials and regular opinion columns.

Read on FindLaw (a public copy of the official code, shown as current as of January 1, 2025); check against the official code.

Source: Miss. Code Ann. §95-1-5 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

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FAQ

How long do you have to sue for defamation in Mississippi?

A lawsuit for libel or slander must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrues. The same one-year limit covers assault, false imprisonment, malicious arrest and similar claims.

Does Mississippi have a defamation retraction law?

Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.

How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.