New York Times V Sullivan 1960

Title and Year New York Times Co. v. Sullivan  1964

Court

Warren Majority Opinion

William Brenan Jr

Facts/Brief Background

The supporters of Dr.Martin Luther King Jr gave a full page ad in the New York Times on March 29,1960 condemning the Montgomery Police and Alabama for the perjury statement that they have issued to Martin Luther King. The ad had some factual errors. L.B.Sullivan, the chief of the Montgomery Police Department filed a law suit in the Alabama district court claiming that the ad had been published intentionally in order to defame him. According to the Alabama’s libel laws the plaintiff doesn’t need to prove that the ad was indeed targeted to defame the individual. The court granted Sullivan monetary compensation. New York Times appealed and case was agreed to be heard by the Supreme Court.

Issue

Did Alabama's libel law, by not requiring Sullivan to prove that an advertisement personally harmed him and dismissing the same as untruthful due to factual errors, unconstitutionally infringe on the First Amendment's freedom of speech and freedom of press protections? Ruling & Legal Doctrine

The court ruled that the Alabama law was unconstitutional because it violates the freedom of press rights granted by the 1st amendment. Justice Brenan in his majority opinion noted that the individual suing for defamatory charges must prove that indeed it is “actual malice” against the him/her. Since Alabama law didn’t require the individual to prove the malice against him/her, it is violating the freedom of press rights of the first amendment. The court noted that in the case of Sullivan no evidence of such malice was found. So they reversed the decision of the district and circuit court.

Significance

This court case gave more rights to the press to openly criticize the wrong doers. This also set the precedent for many other cases and this case has never been turned down or ruled over as a whole or in some parts. This case was also influential in some of the cases for several other countries including Canada and Australia.

Complied by Adhithya Rajasekaran - For any errors please contact the compiler