Truth, Libel, and the Media’s Very Expensive Hall Pass

Few Supreme Court precedents have shaped American political speech more than New York Times v. Sullivan, the 1964 decision that made it much harder for public officials, and later public figures, to win defamation lawsuits. Supporters say that high bar protects free debate, especially criticism of powerful people. Critics say it’s become a legal bunker…

When Wartime Immunity Meets Real-World Negligence

Sometimes the Supreme Court hands down a decision that doesn’t just split along predictable ideological lines. It flips the script entirely. That’s exactly what happened in Hencely v. Fluor Corp., where a 6–3 majority allowed a wounded U.S. soldier’s lawsuit against a military contractor to proceed. And yes, if you did a double take when…