Defamation Laws in Tennessee

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

Short answer: Tennessee has different deadlines for spoken and written defamation. A slander lawsuit (spoken words) must be filed within six months after the words are uttered. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 28-3-103, 28-3-104(a)(1)(A) (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Deadline to sue for defamation (libel and slander)	Tennessee has different deadlines for spoken and written defamation. A slander lawsuit (spoken words) must be filed within six months after the words are uttered. A libel lawsuit (written or published) must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrued. Libel: https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-28-limitation-of-actions/tn-code-sect-28-3-104/ . Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Source: Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 28-3-103, 28-3-104(a)(1)(A) (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)
Retraction (correction) rules	Yes, for newspapers and periodicals. Before suing over an article, the plaintiff must serve written notice on the defendant at least five days before filing, identifying the article and the statements claimed to be false and defamatory. If the defendant shows the article was published in good faith, the falsity came from an honest mistake of fact, and there were reasonable grounds to believe it true, and a full and fair correction, apology or retraction was published within ten days after the notice (or in the next regular edition if later) as conspicuously as the original, the plaintiff can recover only actual, not punitive, damages. This limit does not apply to an article about a candidate for political office published within ten days before the election. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024. Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-24-103 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Deadline to sue for defamation (libel and slander)

Tennessee has different deadlines for spoken and written defamation. A slander lawsuit (spoken words) must be filed within six months after the words are uttered. A libel lawsuit (written or published) must be filed within one year after the cause of action accrued.

Libel: https://codes.findlaw.com/tn/title-28-limitation-of-actions/tn-code-sect-28-3-104/ . Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024.

Source: Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 28-3-103, 28-3-104(a)(1)(A) (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

Retraction (correction) rules

Yes, for newspapers and periodicals. Before suing over an article, the plaintiff must serve written notice on the defendant at least five days before filing, identifying the article and the statements claimed to be false and defamatory. If the defendant shows the article was published in good faith, the falsity came from an honest mistake of fact, and there were reasonable grounds to believe it true, and a full and fair correction, apology or retraction was published within ten days after the notice (or in the next regular edition if later) as conspicuously as the original, the plaintiff can recover only actual, not punitive, damages. This limit does not apply to an article about a candidate for political office published within ten days before the election.

Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror page states it is current as of January 2, 2024.

Source: Tenn. Code Ann. § 29-24-103 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code)

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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.