Supreme Court Declines to Hear Dershowitz Appeal; Two Justices Dissent

The Supreme Court declined to hear Alan Dershowitz's appeal in his defamation lawsuit against CNN, leaving in place lower-court rulings that favored the network. The case stems from CNN commentary during President Trump's 2020 impeachment trial. Dershowitz, who served on the president's legal team, argued on the Senate floor about constitutional standards for impeachment.

CNN published an online piece criticizing those remarks. Dershowitz appeared twice on CNN after the commentary aired to defend his position, and the network broadcast his remarks in full. Dershowitz filed the $300 million suit in federal court in Florida.

A district court ruled for CNN in 2023. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit upheld that decision last year, finding CNN had shown its commentators believed their statements were fair and accurate and that Dershowitz offered no evidence of actual malice.

Two justices dissented from the decision not to hear the case. One of them stated the court should reconsider past rulings that protect the press from libel suits by public figures. Lawyers for CNN had urged the justices to reject the appeal.

The court's action ends Dershowitz's effort to revive the suit.