Free Speech
This Professor Was Fired for Her Political Speech. Now, She's Getting Her Job Back.
Collin College fired Suzanne Jones in 2021, after she voiced support for union activity and the removal of Confederate monuments.
This Court Case Could Make It a Crime To Be a Journalist in Texas
Priscilla Villarreal found herself in a jail cell for publishing two routine stories. A federal court still can't decide what to do about that.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Claims Elon Musk Is Targeting Her Twitter Account
Plus: Congress remains too cautious about marijuana, myths about independent contractors, and more...
Section 230 Heads to the Supreme Court
The crucial protector of internet speech might have some cracks in its armor.
Doctors Say a California Law Targeting Clinicians Who Share COVID-19 'Misinformation' Is Unconstitutional
The law authorizes regulators to discipline physicians who deviate from the "contemporary scientific consensus."
Senator Dick Durbin Doesn't Understand the First Amendment
On Tuesday, the senator erroneously claimed that "free speech does not include spreading misinformation."
United States of America Pageants Has First Amendment Right To Exclude Transgender Women, Court Says
Plus: The emptiness of Democrats' pro-democracy rhetoric, the real reason Social Security checks are getting bigger, and more...
Livestream: Homeland Security's Backdoor Social Media Speech Regulation
Livestream with Nick Gillespie, Robby Soave, and Zach Weissmueller
Beauty Pageants Have First Amendment Right to Limit Contestants to "Natural Born Females"
So holds the Ninth Circuit; Hamilton plays a major role.
Andrew Doyle: How the 'New Puritans' Created a 'Frenzy of Conformity'
The journalist and comedian makes the case that "new puritans" espousing the religion of social justice have captured the Western world.
How Woke Mobs Ruined Everything and What To Do About It
Andrew Doyle on the "new puritans" and their godawful religion of social justice.
Should Rap Lyrics Qualify as Evidence in Criminal Trials?
The music industry objects to the use of rap lyrics by prosecutors.
The Babylon Bee Joins The Onion in Decrying an Ohio Law That Makes Parody a Felony
The two fake news organizations want the Supreme Court to review the case of a man who was arrested for making fun of the police.
Twitter Was Toxic Long Before Musk Took Over
Plus: Hate speech is free speech, tax gap is stable, and more...
Twitter Was Already a Hellscape Even Before It Was Set Free
Plus: For Halloween, the editors describe what scares them most about politics and government right now.
DHS Still Policing Disinformation Despite Dissolving Disinformation Governance Board
The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI regularly report misinformation and disinformation to tech companies for potential removal.
Court Adopts Narrow Approach to Pseudonymity in Title IX Wrongful-Discipline Cases
A federal judge suggested that plaintiffs can sue as John Does only to the extent that identifying them would also identify nonparties who want to remain anonymous (such as the students who accused the plaintiffs of sexual misconduct).
Right to Videorecord in Public Places Includes Right to Videorecord Voters at Dropboxes
An interesting echo, I think, of NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware (1982).
Babylon Bee Files Amicus Brief in Support of Parody Rights -- and Doesn't File an Amicus Brief Opposing It
[NOTE: There is nothing parodic or facetious about any item in this post; it is entirely accurate. No, seriously, it is. Really, I mean it, really.]
Musk Says He Bought Twitter 'To Help Humanity,' Pledges Not To Let It Become a 'Free-for-All Hellscape'
Plus: Charlottesville cracks down on city employee speech, judge dismisses "blackout challenge" lawsuit against TikTok, and more...
Yes, You Can Yell 'Fire' in a Crowded Theater
On Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito repeated the common myth that "shouting 'fire' in a crowded theater" is unprotected speech.
Patent Law Opinion Can't Be Sealed to Avoid Hurting Plaintiff's Future Similar Lawsuits
[UPDATE: I've added comments from plaintiff's lawyer.]
Ninth Circuit Partly Affirms and Partly Reverses Judgment for Planned Parenthood Over Secret Recordings
"Journalism and investigative reporting have long served a critical role in our society. But journalism and investigative reporting do not require illegal conduct."
Court Upholds Removal of Child From Parents, Related to Child's Transgender Identity
The facts are complicated, and involve a good deal more than just disagreement as to gender identity; but it seems to me like an important controversy.
No First Amendment Right to Publish Videos of Depositions
A court may impose restrictions on redistribution of material obtained through court-ordered discovery (as opposed to obtained through other means)—though if the depositions are quoted in court filings or played in court, the material used would "become part of the public record, creating a presumption of public access."
Ex-Congressman Alan Grayson Loses Libel Claim Before Eleventh Circuit
"The defendants' [reliance] on ... source materials, including an official congressional report, articles in well-known newspapers and magazines, and police reports ... '... alone ... defeat[s] any claim of actual malice.'"
Ninth Circuit Reverses "Provisional" Sealing of Appellate Brief in Interesting Free Speech Case
Appellate briefs need to be treated as public documents, and (I argued) shouldn't be "provisionally" sealed for months or years without findings that such sealing (or, more often, redaction) is genuinely necessary.
Lawsuit by SJSU Professor Who Opposes "Repatriation of Native American Remains" Can Go Forward
Prof. Elizabeth Weiss claims SJSU retaliated against her for her speech.
#TheyLied Libel Claims Can Go Forward with Sufficient Evidence of "Actual Malice"
"We ... recognize ... that allowing this case to move forward could embolden abusers ... and could discourage victims and their families from seeking help. But, at the same time, we must acknowledge the potential for false accusations and the right that someone who is falsely accused has to recover for the harm thereby caused."
Church's Standard Commercial Lease Forbids "Offensive" "Activity"; Does That Cover Offensive Sermons
when the sermons lead to protests? That question is pending in Texas court.
Chris Rufo's Battle To 'Stop Woke'
Livestream with Nick Gillespie, Chris Rufo, and Zach Weissmueller's about Rufo's "counterrevolution" against wokeness
[UPDATED] Is Sixth-Grader Telling Classmate His Hairstyle Makes Him Look Like Trump "Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying"?
UPDATE: But wait! It turns out the decision was overturned on appeal, see below. (I've changed the title to a question; it originally said such a statement was indeed "harassment, intimidation, or bullying," summarizing the initial decision.)
