Supreme Court Declines Steve Wynn’s Appeal to Overturn Landmark Libel Precedent

The decision preserves the 'actual malice' standard established in Times v. Sullivan, a cornerstone of press freedom in the U.S.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Steve Wynn's appeal to overturn the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan ruling, which requires public figures to prove 'actual malice' in defamation cases.
Wynn's lawsuit against the Associated Press stemmed from a 2018 article alleging sexual misconduct, which he has consistently denied.
Nevada's courts dismissed the case under the 'actual malice' standard, a decision upheld by the state's Supreme Court before Wynn petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Associated Press waived its right to respond to Wynn's petition, and the Supreme Court rejected the case without requesting further input or issuing dissent.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch have previously expressed interest in revisiting the Sullivan precedent, but no dissent was noted in this decision.