Sisler v. Gannett Co., Inc.

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

HANDLER, J.

This libel suit calls upon us to consider what standard of liability should be established under New Jersey law with respect to tortious defamation committed by media defendants against a plaintiff who is not a “public figure” under the First Amendment. Both courts below held that ordinary negligence was the proper standard for determining whether such defamation was actionable. They were of the view that the plaintiff was essentially a “private person” who should not be required to bear the substantial, “actual malice” burden in order to…