You gave no details of your case. However by way of background, the written form of defamation is libel. In order to prove defamation, generally the party suing (the plaintiff) must prove 4 elements:Publication - the statement concerning the plaintiff must be made to someone other than or in addition to the plaintiff (a newspaper article qualifies); False statement of fact - the statement must be one of fact not opinion (i.e. one capable of being proved true or untrue); Damages - the defamation caused harm to the plaintiff's reputation (although some false statements are considered per se injurious, meaning no actual damages are required); and in some cases  Malice - if the plaintiff is a public figure, he or she must also prove actual malice (i.e  knowledge that the statement is false and intentionally publishing it anyway).Before taking the legal route, why not first go the the newspaper in question and request that it publish a retraction of the libelous statements (if you feel the damage done to your reputation can be corrected by such action). If you are successful, this will save you the time and expense of a lawsuit that you may or may not win. In fact, some states require you to do this before a defamation suit can be filed.You really need to speak directly with an attorney who specializes in defamation cases. They are difficult and expensive. You need experienced counsel to advise you here.