The New York Times v. Sullivan (case)

The New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) is a landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle that public officials must prove defamatory statements are made with "actual malice"—knowing they are false or reckless disregard for the truth—to win a libel lawsuit. The case originated when the NY Times published an ad criticizing police actions during protests, and police official Sullivan claimed defamation. The Court ruled that free speech about public officials is protected unless proven malicious intent, reinforcing the importance of robust debate and press freedom in the U.S.