The U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider Coral Ridge Ministries Media v. South Poverty Law Center (SPLC), delaying consideration of the actual malice standard in defamation cases. The Eleventh Circuit had ruled that the SPLC had not acted with actual malice in adding the ministries to its Hate Map. (The Verge, June 27, 2022, by Adi Robertson)
In dissent Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, “This case is one of many showing how New York Times and its progeny have allowed media organizations and interest groups ‘to cast false aspersions on public figures with near impunity.'” Thomas said Times v. Sullivan decision and subsequent supporting decisions “were policy-driven decisions masquerading as constitutional law.” (Law & Crime, June 27, 2022, by Marisa Sarnoff)