New York Times Co. v. Sullivan 1964
Can a public official win a libel suit over criticism of official conduct without proving intent?
376 U.S. 254 (1964)Speech and press
- The question
- Can a public official win a libel suit over criticism of official conduct without proving intent?
- What the Court held
- No. A public official must prove “actual malice”: knowledge that the statement was false, or reckless disregard for whether it was.
- The vote
- 9–0
- Read the opinion
- 376 U.S. 254 (1964), full text
This page summarizes the Court’s judgment in neutral terms. The opinion, concurrences and dissents are the authority; read them for the reasoning.