Palin v. The New York Times Company

John M. Walker, Jr. , Circuit Judge :

This case is ultimately about the First Amendment, but the subject matter implicated in this appeal is far less dramatic: rules of procedure and pleading standards. Sarah Palin appeals the dismissal of her defamation complaint against The New York Times ("the Times") for failure to *164 state a claim. The district court (Rakoff, J. ), uncertain as to whether Palin's complaint plausibly alleged all of the required elements of her defamation claim, held an evidentiary hearing to test the sufficiency of Palin's pleadings. Following the hearing, and without…