Economic damages: Public figure must show actual malice.

• A. Negligence
• B. Strict liability
• C. No damages allowed
• D. Actual malice

Answer: (D)

When a defamed plaintiff is a public figure, the fault standard for recovering damages is actual malice. This means the plaintiff must show the defendant knew the statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. The actual malice standard comes from New York Times v. Sullivan and was later applied to all public figures, shaping what they must prove to obtain economic (and sometimes punitive) damages. Negligence or strict liability isn’t enough for public figures in defamation cases, which is why those options don’t fit. The idea that no damages are allowed is also incorrect—defamation can award damages, but only if actual malice is proven for public figures. The key concept is that public figures face a higher burden to prove the harm caused by defamatory statements.