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New York Times V Sullivan

All articles tagged with #new york times v sullivan

us-news2 years ago•3 min saved

"Clarence Thomas Urges Reevaluation of Landmark Libel Decision"

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has called for the reconsideration of the landmark 1964 ruling, New York Times v. Sullivan, which made it more difficult for public officials to win libel suits. Thomas argues that the decision, which requires public figures to prove "actual malice" in defamation cases, allows media organizations to make false accusations against public figures with near impunity. He believes that the decision has no basis in the Constitution and is a policy-driven decision rather than constitutional law. Justice Thomas's latest opinion came in a case brought by Don Blankenship, a former coal company executive and Senate candidate, who sued news organizations for calling him a felon after being convicted of a misdemeanor.

via The New York Times|

#actual-malice #clarence-thomas #first-amendment

law-and-politics2 years ago•3 min saved

Supreme Court's Refusal to Revisit Libel Ruling Challenged by Clarence Thomas

The Supreme Court has declined to revisit the landmark First Amendment decision in New York Times v. Sullivan, which established a higher bar for public figures to claim libel in civil suits. The ruling requires public figures to show "actual malice" before succeeding in a libel dispute. Justice Clarence Thomas, however, expressed his desire to reconsider the Sullivan decision in an appropriate case. The case at hand involves Don Blankenship, a former coal baron who sued media outlets for erroneously reporting him as a convicted felon during his 2018 US Senate campaign. Blankenship's attorneys argued that the Sullivan decision poses a danger to democracy, while media organizations defended the standard as necessary for free debate.

via CNN|

#clarence-thomas #first-amendment #law-and-politics