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covers that highlighted language and goes into some of the cases. Also remember that there is no precedent for the pardon being used in civil cases. Going into the civil arena opens things up to a President doing things on the level of divorce judgements etc. whereas the the case law considers the word "offences" to mean crimes. There is however criminal defamation and civil defamation with the important distinction of knowledge and intent. Defamation that includes intent to harm and knowledge beforehand of the statements being false is looked at more seriously and is considered a harm to society (against the United States by definition) and can be prosecuted as criminal by a US Attorney, District Attorney etc. The case is US v or State of v etc. and the defamed party might be a witness but is not the plaintiff. The purpose and penalties in the case is for punishment of the defamer and might include fines and jail time. The criminal action is not about paying damages to the defamed party.

The civil case on the other hand is brought by the defamed party as the plaintiff and is for compensation for harm/damages caused to the defamed party. The case of Ruby Freeman and her daughter is civil and one could argue that it could have been criminal but because it wasn't filed that way by a prosecutor it's too late now.

https://www.jsrohilla.com/difference-between-criminal-and-civil-defamation/