New York § 8 Freedom of speech and press; criminal prosecutions for libel

New York Statutes

§ 8 — Freedom of speech and press; criminal prosecutions for libel

New York § 8

Law CNSConstitution

Art. IBill of Rights

This text of New York § 8 (Freedom of speech and press; criminal prosecutions for libel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

N.Y. Constitution § 8 (2026).

Text

  § 8. Every citizen may freely speak, write and publish his or her\nsentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that\nright; and no law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of\nspeech or of the press. In all criminal prosecutions or indictments for\nlibels, the truth may be given in evidence to the jury; and if it shall\nappear to the jury that the matter charged as libelous is true, and was\npublished with good motives and for justifiable ends, the party shall be\nacquitted; and the jury shall have the right to determine the law and\nthe fact.\n

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§ 8. Every citizen may freely speak, write and publish his or her\nsentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that\nright; and no law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of\nspeech or of the press. In all criminal prosecutions or indictments for\nlibels, the truth may be given in evidence to the jury; and if it shall\nappear to the jury that the matter charged as libelous is true, and was\npublished with good motives and for justifiable ends, the party shall be\nacquitted; and the jury shall have the right to determine the law and\nthe fact.\n

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Bluebook (online)

New York § 8, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/statute/ny/CNS/8.