In the following article, Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts will be addressed from a comprehensive and detailed perspective, with the aim of providing a deep understanding on this topic. Different aspects related to Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts will be analyzed, including its origin, impact on current society, possible solutions or future implications. In addition, different opinions and perspectives from experts on the topic will be presented, in order to enrich the debate and provide a more complete vision. The purpose of this article is to promote knowledge and reflection around Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts, with the intention of promoting a broader and more critical understanding of this topic.
Libel damages may be recoverable against a news organization if the injured party is not a public official, but a claimant must demonstrate a reckless lack of professional standards, on the part of the organization, in examining allegations for reasonable credibility.
The case involved a libel lawsuit filed by the former Georgia Bulldogs football coach Wally Butts against The Saturday Evening Post. The lawsuit arose from an article in the magazine, which alleged that Butts, still Georgia's athletic director following his resignation as coach after the 1960 season, and the Alabama head coach Bear Bryant had conspired to fix games. The Butts suit was consolidated with another case, Associated Press v. Walker, and both cases were decided in one opinion.
In finding for Butts but against Walker, the Supreme Court gave some indications of when a "public figure" could sue for libel.
The Court ultimately ruled in favor of Butts, and The Saturday Evening Post was ordered to pay $3.06 million to Butts in damages, which was later reduced on appeal to $460,000.
The settlement was seen as a contributing factor in the demise of The Saturday Evening Post and its parent corporation, the Curtis Publishing Company, two years later. Butts and Bryant had sued for $10 million each. Bryant settled for $300,000.
^Anonymous. "Curtis Publishing Company v. Butts". Oyez. Cornell's Legal Information Institute (LII), Justia, and Chicago-Kent College of Law. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
^ ab"Wally Butts, Ex-Georgia Coach, Dies; Won Large Libel Suit Coached Noted Players". The New York Times. December 18, 1973. p. 46.