诽谤诉讼“实质恶意”原则的法理探讨

Analysis on Principle of Actual Malice in Defamation Lawsuits

实质恶意标准是美国诽谤诉讼中一个非常重要的原则,该原则是美国最高法院在"纽约时报诉沙利文案"中确立的,它为确定表达自由和名誉权之间的界限提供了明晰的论证思路。重温这一原则的证成逻辑,阐释其背后的司法哲学,既可以领略司法能动主义在权利保障方面的积极作为,也有助于理解美国宪法第一修正案保障表达自由的司法精义。

Established in the Lawsuit between the New York Times and Sullivan,the Principle of Actual Malice has become an important measure applied to defamation proceedings in America,to differentiate freedom of expression from right of reputation.Reviewing this principle helps better understand not only the First Amendment of American Constitution,which underlies such a philosophy as protecting the right to free expression,but also what a active role a judicial activism can play in safeguarding rights.