Question

Which of the following cases established that the actual malice standard in libel law applied to public figures as well as public officials?

a) New York Times v. Sullivan
b) Texas v. Johnson
c) Gideon v. Wainwright
d) Miranda v. Arizona

Answer 1

The case of New York Times v. Sullivan established that public figures, in addition to public officials, must demonstrate actual malice to prove libel.

Step-by-step explanation:

The case that established that the actual malice standard in libel law applied to public figures as well as public officials is New York Times v. Sullivan.

In this landmark decision made in 1964, the Supreme Court held that to prove libel, public officials must show that not only was a statement false, but it was also published with reckless disregard for the truth or malicious intent.

This ruling significantly raised the bar for public figures to win defamation lawsuits and was a considerable expansion of the First Amendment protections for free speech, particularly in cases involving political speech.