University of Houston Rolls Back Unconstitutional Anti-Harassment Policy
Students sued to protect their First and 14th Amendment rights.
Free Speech
Contract Lawsuit Can Proceed, Over Private School Disciplining Student for Alleged Racial Epithet Use
The plaintiff alleged that the Wardlaw-Hartridge School had failed to comply with its own procedural rules in the Student-Parent Handbook.
>$10M Libel Verdicts: They're Not Just for Johnny Depp
But here the Iowa Supreme Court reduced the verdict to $3M, with an interesting analysis of the law of libel.
What Are Ya, Some Kind of Comedian?
Qualified immunity denied in case alleging a probable-cause-less arrest based on plaintiff's (comedian Hannibal Buress's) speech "roast[ing a police officer's] ass."
U.K. Approves Extradition of Julian Assange to the U.S.
The WikiLeaks founder faces espionage charges for publishing classified U.S. information, a prosecution with serious implications for all our First Amendment protections.
YouTube Deleted a January 6th Committee Video for Spreading Election Misinformation
"We enforce our policies equally for everyone," said a spokesperson.
"[W]ell, People Really Be Tellin', People Be Tellin'. That Is Not Right, That Is Not Right."
A Snapchat post containing this line and "a copy of the police report summarizing [a witness's] identification of [a person] as the shooter" leads to a four-year prison sentence for witness tampering; a New Jersey court says the post is a constitutionally unprotected true threat of violence.
Seventh Circuit Reinstates Lawsuit Over School Ban on T-Shirts That Depict Guns,
and reverses a precedent that suggested that viewpoint-neutral speech restrictions in public K-12 schools are generally permissible.
Institute for Free Speech Looking for Litigator (with 7+ Years of Experience)
One of the very few jobs where you'd get to litigate free speech law every day
Not Libel or IIED to Accuse Ex-Son-in-Law of Trying to Turn His Daughter (Accuser's Granddaughter) Lesbian,
at least in text messages to the grandchildren.
$125K Libel Punitive Award Excessive When Jury Found No Compensatory Damages
The award was entered against entertainment executive Damon Anthony Dash, former business partner of Jay-Z; $650K in libel damages to another plaintiff, plus likely $25K of the $125K, remain.
No First Amendment Problem with Routine Anonymous Criminal Juries
"[I]n this internet age, where jurors' names can trigger lightning-fast access to a wealth of biographical information, including addresses, any slightly positive role in divulging jurors' names to the public is outweighed by the risk to jury integrity."
Zap Comix Were Never for Kids
Disreputable and censored comix improbably brought the art form from the gutter to the museums.
Texas Ban on "Transmitting" Nude Photos Without Request or Consent: Does It Apply Just to Posting Them Online?
It looks like it was intended to cover unwanted sexual images sent to a particular person, but its text seems broad enough to potentially cover even posting things on your own site.
Court Limits Ban on Speech That Causes "Substantial Emotional Distress" with "Intent to Harass or Intimdate"
The court concludes that the federal "cyberstalking" statute covers only speech intended to "put the victim in fear of death or bodily injury" or to "distress the victim by threatening, intimidating, or the like."
Cancel Culture Deprives Brooklynites of Understanding How Putin Uses Food as a Political Weapon
When the Bushwick bar Honey's tried to host a “Russia, Ukraine, and Food" talk with food writer and academic Darra Goldstein, the angry mob shut them down.
He Was Targeted by Police for His Political Speech. Now, He's Suing.
William Fambrough supported the "wrong" mayoral candidate, so East Cleveland law enforcement destroyed his van and hit him with petty prosecutions.
Anonymity and Pro-Abortion-Rights Initiatives and Referenda
What kind of a showing of possible "harassment" or "reprisals" must backers of such ballot measures make to keep petition signatures (and financial contributions) from becoming public records?
State Trooper Suing Andrew Cuomo for Harassment Can Be Pseudonymous, Because the Case Is "High-Profile"
The court's view appears to be that, the more public interest in a case, the less the public is entitled to know.
Greg Lukianoff: Saving the 'Culture of Free Speech'
The longtime head of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education announces a new name and expanded mission for FIRE.
Hong Kong Is a 'Wake-Up Call for the World'
Former Apple Daily writer Simon Lee says China's crackdown reveals the CCP's ambitions for global authoritarianism.
Judge Can't Add 6 Years to a Prison Sentence Because the Defendant Called Him Names, Says Court
Plus: Coverage of Section 230 is overwhelmingly negative, Arizona cops who watched a man drown have been placed on leave, and more...
New N.Y. Law Aimed at Getting Social Media Platforms to Restrict "Hateful" Speech
Its operative provisions just require social media platforms to create a mechanism for taking complaints about such "hateful" speech; but the title is "hateful conduct prohibited," and it's clear the legislature is trying to get social media platforms to restrict such speech more.
What are Georgetown Professors Forbidden to Say?
Under the reasoning of the Georgetown University Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity & Affirmative Action (IDEAA) report in the Ilya Shapiro matter, a wide range of public speech criticizing religions, political parties, veterans, etc. could be "prohibit[ed] harassment."
Targeting Employee for Op-Ed Criticizing "Anti-Racism" Because She's White May Be Race Discrimination
but because here the employer's (and union's) actions were basically just an incident of public criticism, they didn't qualify as hostile environment harassment (and the employee wasn't fired or demoted).
Ilya Shapiro Resigns From Georgetown University Law School
"Further analysis shows that you’ve made it impossible for me to fulfill the duties of my appointed post," writes Shapiro.
Ilya Shapiro Reinstated at Georgetown Law, then Resigns
The law school reinstated him on a technicality, but made it clear that they weren't going to uphold the university's free speech policy.
FIRE Branches Out into Free Speech Beyond Universities, Planning $75M Litigation and Public Education Campaign
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education is becoming the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Tempe Police Watch as Man Drowns
Plus: FIRE moves beyond campus, a 1,000 percent excise tax on semiautomatic rifles?, and more...
Gay Weddings Return to The Supreme Court
Can a web designer be compelled under the First Amendment to host wedding pictures?
6 Months in Jail for Speaking to Newspaper About Your Court Case
In most states, if a court issues a gag order and you don't appeal it, you can go to jail for violating it even if you later argue that it violates your First Amendment rights.
Court Dismisses Defamation Lawsuit Over "Woman Accused of Defaming Dozens Online Is Arrested"
The case may get refiled, but it’s not looking promising.
Georgetown Ends Investigation of Ilya Shapiro for Bad Tweet, Will Not Fire Him
"I look forward to teaching and engaging in a host of activities relating to constitutional education," said Shapiro.
Federal Civil Rights Claim Over "Trump Train" / Biden Campaign Bus Incident Can Go Forward
A federal statute imposes liability for conspiracies "to prevent by force, intimidation, or threat, any citizen who is lawfully entitled to vote, from giving his support or advocacy in a legal manner" for the election of federal candidates, or for "injur[ing] any citizen in person or property on account of such support or advocacy."
"The ACLU Never Stopped Defending Free Speech"
David Cole writes, Ira Glasser and Wendy Kaminer respond. [UPDATE: Added Cole's reply.]
