§ 6.4.4.5.2 ACTUAL MALICE AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS

• Jurisdiction: Arizona

§ 6.4.4.5.2 Actual Malice and Public Officials. A higher degree of fault, sometimes called "actual malice," applies to plaintiffs who are "public officials." Public officials have been defined as "government employees who have . . . substantial responsibility for or control over the conduct of government affairs."⁵⁷ In Arizona, the following categories of persons have been found to be public officials: Federal Aviation Administration inspectors,⁵⁸ student senators,⁵⁹ police officers,⁶⁰ teachers,⁶¹ narcotics agents,⁶² a county manager,⁶³ and a county sheriff and deputies.⁶⁴ On the other hand, a Bankruptcy Trustee may not be a public official.⁶⁵

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Notes:

^[57] Rosenblatt v. Baer, 383 U.S. 75, 85 (1966).

^[58] Lewis v. Oliver, 178 Ariz. 330, 873 P.2d 668 (App. 1993).

^[59] Klahr v. Winterble, 4 Ariz. App. 158, 418 P.2d 404 (1966).

^[60] Rosales v. City of Eloy, 122 Ariz. 134, 593 P.2d 688 (App. 1979).

^[61] Sewell v. Brookbank, 119 Ariz. 422, 581 P.2d 267 (App. 1978).

^[62] Hanse...