Can libel suits be brought by a public figure?
These suits are a bit dicer for the public figure. A public figure may be an elected or appointed (a politician) or someone who has stepped into a public controversy (e.g., movie stars and TV stars, star athletes). Public figures have a “harder road to toll” than the average person since they must prove that the party defaming them knew the statements were false, made them with actual malice, or was negligent in saying or writing them. Proving these elements makes the chance of a successful lawsuit slim.
Related Questions
- Why the Suits Were Brought as Public Nuisance Suits: Tort Suits Had Failed Readers may ask: Why were the suits brought as public nuisance suits in the first place - rather than as the kind of tort suits that have been used against the tobacco industry?
- What is the difference between a private and public figure in libel?
- Can libel suits be brought by a public figure?
