Supreme Court Declines Steve Wynn's Bid to Overturn Key Press Freedom Precedent

The decision leaves the Times v. Sullivan standard intact, reinforcing protections for journalists against defamation lawsuits by public figures.

The Supreme Court refused to hear Steve Wynn's appeal to overturn the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan precedent, which requires public figures to prove 'actual malice' in defamation cases.
Wynn's defamation lawsuit against the Associated Press, centered on allegations of sexual misconduct from the 1970s, was dismissed under Nevada's anti-SLAPP law.
Wynn argued that the 'actual malice' standard is outdated and enables false reporting in the modern media landscape, but the Court declined to revisit the precedent.
Conservative figures, including Donald Trump and Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, have criticized Sullivan, but the Court has consistently avoided revisiting it in recent years.
The ruling underscores the Court's commitment to maintaining strong First Amendment protections for the press, even as debates over media accountability persist in an era of disinformation.