Question

The bedrock law "truth is not libelous" was put into place by the landmark case of

a) New York Times Co. v. United States
b) United States v. Progressive
c) Snepp v. United States
d) The Crown v. Zenger

Answer 1

The landmark case that established the bedrock law 'truth is not libelous' for public officials to show actual malice in libel suits is New York Times Co. v. Sullivan.

Step-by-step explanation:

The principle that truth is not libelous was affirmed in the landmark case of The Crown v. Zenger, where John Peter Zenger was acquitted, hence setting precedence for freedom of the press. However, the bedrock law that public officials must prove actual malice to win a libel suit, a standard set by the U.S. Supreme Court, comes from the case of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan in 1964.

This case started when the New York Times published an advertisement that included false statements about an Alabama official, which led to a libel suit against the newspaper. The Supreme Court's unanimous decision protected false statements as long as they were not made with actual malice. This ruling was pivotal in protecting freedom of the press and established a higher standard for libel when it involves public officials or figures.