libel and slander

Journalists approach these style questions with varying degrees of passion.

Discusses the history and development of defamation law, looks at instances of libel and slander that would warrant legal action, and discusses defenses and damages. Includes sample documents, a glossary, and other reference materials.

Examines the 1964 Supreme Court First Amendment case between the New York Times and Montgomery, Alabama commissioner L.B. Sullivan over an advertisement the Times ran protesting mistreatment of African-American students and the arrest of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Montgomery.

Examines how blogs, social network sites, chatrooms, and other sites have violated the privacy of those who use them, and describes how the Internet is being transformed into a venue for gossip and rumors.

Chronicles the events surrounding John Peter Zenger's 1735 arrest and trial for seditious libel against the British royal governor and explains how the case laid the groundwork for America's freedom of the press.

Presents an overview of the 1960 Supreme Court case that debated an advertisement place in the "New York Times" newspaper asking readers to support equal rights for African Americans in the South, and includes discussion of the parameters of the case, as well as the workings of the Supreme Court.

An account of the Sullivan case which was decided by the Supreme Court.

Examines the fine line between defamation and the freedom of speech to help explain appropriate online behavior.