Browse 18 actual malice standard cases decided by D.C. Circuit. AI-powered summaries, holdings, and legal analysis.
Court Dismisses Defamation Claim Against Attorney
Saad Khalid v. Todd Blanche, decided by D.C. Circuit on April 14, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Saad Khalid, sued Todd Blanche, an attorney, for defamation. Khalid alleged ...
Senator Rubio's Statements Protected Under First Amendment in Defamation Case
Susan Qashu v. Marco Rubio, decided by D.C. Circuit on April 10, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. This case concerns a defamation claim brought by Susan Qashu against Senator Marco Rubio. Qa...
D.C. Circuit Denies Protective Order in Defamation Case
J.G.G. v. Donald Trump (EN BANC ORDER), decided by D.C. Circuit on November 14, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting en banc, reviewed a district court...
Ninth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Defamation Claim Against Kari Lake
Michael Abramowitz v. Kari Lake, decided by D.C. Circuit on October 6, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute centered on whether Kari Lake's statements about the 2022 Arizona gub...
Court allows vaccine fraud claims against healthcare system to proceed
Battle Creek Health System v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., decided by D.C. Circuit on August 22, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The core dispute involved whether the Battle Creek Health System (...
Union statements about member protected as opinion, not defamation
Eugene Hudson, Jr. v. American Federation of Government Employees, decided by D.C. Circuit on August 19, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Eugene Hudson, Jr., sued the American...
Newspaper Article Not Defamatory; Summary Judgment Affirmed
Nicole Pileggi v. Washington Newspaper Publishing Company, LLC, decided by D.C. Circuit on August 12, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute centered on whether the defendant, a n...
D.C. Circuit: Noerr-Pennington Doesn't Shield Defamation Counterclaims
Associated Press v. Taylor Budowich, decided by D.C. Circuit on July 22, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of the plaintiff's motion to d...
D.C. Circuit Allows AP Defamation Suit Against Trump Aide to Proceed
Associated Press v. Taylor Budowich, decided by D.C. Circuit on June 6, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to dismiss a defama...
Court Affirms Dismissal of Defamation Suit Against Kari Lake
Patsy Widakuswara v. Kari Lake & Michael Abramowitz v. Kari Lake, decided by D.C. Circuit on May 28, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. This case involves a defamation lawsuit filed by Patsy W...
Court Affirms Dismissal of Defamation Suits Against Arizona Mirror
Patsy Widakuswara v. Kari Lake; Michael Abramowitz v. Kari Lake, decided by D.C. Circuit on May 22, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. This case consolidated two appeals concerning Kari Lake's...
Court dismisses Kari Lake's defamation suit against journalist
Patsy Widakuswara v. Kari Lake, decided by D.C. Circuit on April 28, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. This case concerns whether Kari Lake, a candidate for Arizona Governor, could sue Patsy ...
D.C. Circuit Allows AP Defamation Suit Against Trump Aide to Proceed
Associated Press v. Taylor Budowich, decided by D.C. Circuit on April 13, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to dismiss a defa...
D.C. Circuit Allows AP Defamation Suit Against Trump Aide to Proceed
Associated Press v. Taylor Budowich, decided by D.C. Circuit on April 10, 2025, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a motion to dismiss a defa...
Court Affirms Dismissal of Defamation Suit Against Journalist
Simon Ateba v. Karoline Leavitt, decided by D.C. Circuit on April 8, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The core dispute involved a defamation lawsuit filed by Simon Ateba against Karoline Lea...
Statements about vaccine advocacy are protected opinion, not defamation
Asante v. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., decided by D.C. Circuit on April 4, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Asante, sued Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his organization for defamation, a...
D.C. Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Defamation Claim for Failure to Plead Falsity
Hampton Dellinger v. Scott Bessent, decided by D.C. Circuit on March 3, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a defamation claim brough...
D.C. Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Defamation Suit
Hampton Dellinger v. Scott Bessent, decided by D.C. Circuit on February 12, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The D.C. Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a defamation lawsuit ...
CaseLawBrief currently tracks 18 actual malice standard cases from D.C. Circuit. This number is updated as new opinions are published.
Outcome breakdown: Defendant Win: 14, Plaintiff Win: 4.
Each case page on CaseLawBrief includes an AI-generated plain English summary, key holdings, and legal analysis. Click any case above to read its full analysis.