The US Supreme Court has declined to take up a case brought by former Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, who alleged that CNN defamed him. Dershowitz had sought to revive a lawsuit accusing the news network of mischaracterizing remarks he made while defending President Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial, claiming the network made it look like he had lost his mind.
Dershowitz had urged the court to reconsider the landmark First Amendment case New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. This precedent makes it more difficult for public figures to win libel lawsuits because it requires proof that a media outlet knowingly published false information or showed a reckless disregard for the truth.
Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas dissented in the decision. They called on the court to reconsider the legal standards for public figures who claim defamation.