Satire Is Protected Speech

In New Times, Inc. v. Farley, the Texas Supreme Court rules that satire is a protected form of speech. The Court's opinion nicely synthesizes the law on the requirements of falsity and actual malice for public officials to recover damages on their claims of defamation. For a compilation of coverage and commentary on the case, see Supreme Court of Texas instructs lower courts to get a better sense of humor at Howard Bashman’s How Appealing blawg.