Free Speech
The Supreme Court Declines To Determine if You Have a First Amendment Right To Film the Police
Denver cops received qualified immunity after performing a warrantless search of a man’s tablet and trying to delete a video he took of them beating a suspect.
May Beauty Pageants Limit Themselves to "Natural Born Women"?
Or for that matter to women, to unmarried women, or to women based on age, race, national origin, religion, citizenship (other-"natural-born" or otherwise), and the like?
Academic Freedom Alliance Letter on the University of Florida Situation
The university's effort to suppress expert testimony in a lawsuit against the state is contrary to academic freedom and the First Amendment
Univ. of Florida Blocks Professors' Expert Witness Work in Case Against Florida Government
A clear academic freedom violation, and likely a First Amendment violation as well: "A concept of loyalty that sweeps so broadly is not one that may legitimately trump compelling interests in speaking on matters of public concern."
The U.S. May Stand Alone as a Haven for Free Speech
The First Amendment shields Americans from censorship, but authoritarian legislation in Britain and Canada warns of what could be in store if that protection fails.
Libel Lawsuit Over Allegedly Forged Police Report Finding Plaintiff Had Assaulted His Girlfriend
"After Murray relocated to another state, he contacted the Oceanside Police Department. He then learned the police report he received from Eva-Zacchara had been altered to support her version of events. The real police report concluded 'no assault could be substantiated.'"
"Speaker Removed from Orange County [Fla.] School Board Meeting for Reading from a Book Found at School Library"
But note that the school board chair opined that the book shouldn't be in the library, either.
Cops Tase a Veteran's Service Dog During an Unconstitutional Arrest for Panhandling
The dog died after the man went to jail for exercising his First Amendment rights.
Popular Progressive Policies Helped Ruin Venezuela. They Won't Work Here Either.
The idea that massive government spending, hate speech laws, and gun control will improve America—when they failed horribly elsewhere—is a dangerous myth.
Eyewitnesses with Their Backs Turned
An interesting "harassment, intimidate, or bullying" investigation case from New Jersey schools. (Corrected version of a post initially put up yesterday.)
Court Allows Discovery of Funding Sources for Nunes Family Farms' Libel Lawsuit
against Esquire and Ryan Lizza.
Eyewitnesses with Their Backs Turned
An interesting “harassment, intimidate, or bullying” investigation case from New Jersey schools.
The Great Bumper Sticker Defacement Criminal Prosecution Fizzles
The smaller the teapot, the bigger the tempest.
Journal of Free Speech Law Public Conversations with Authors
The first will be with Jane Bambauer, Ash Bhagwat, Christopher Yoo, and me, this Tuesday at noon Pacific.
Americans Should Be Free to Express Their Opinions About Generals
whether by mail, by phone, or by social media—and whether about the generals' (or admirals') gender identities or religious beliefs or political beliefs or anything else.
Gen. Michael Flynn's Brother v. CNN Libel Lawsuit Over Allegations of Being a "QAnon Follower"
A Magistrate Judge has just issued a Report and Recommendation recommending that the case be dismissed, on the grounds that the allegations were substantially true.
If You Want to Have Court Filings Sealed, Don't "Treat[] a Motion to Seal as an Afterthought"
Be concrete and specific enough to pass the high bar needed to defeat the presumption of open access—and get it right the first time.
You Can't Fight Campus Illiberalism With More Illiberalism
Free speech on campus is in jeopardy. But many people on the left and the right are rising to fight for our liberal democratic values.
Netflix CEO Apologizes for Having Principles
When employees tried their hand at a shakedown, CEO Ted Sarandos buckled a bit under the pressure.
Federal Regulators Greenlight Trading of Bitcoin-Linked Securities, Delighting Investors and Infuriating Cryptocurrency Critics
Plus: Cuba violates the rights of peaceful protesters, New Zealand leads the world in zoning reform, and more...
Lawyers, Law Students, Law School Administrators, and Language
Yale Law School's diversity miseducation.
No Government Action (and Thus No First Amendment Violation) in Suspension of Plaintiffs' YouTube Accounts
So holds a federal district court, rejecting plaintiff's theories that (among other things) the government compelled the suspension, and that the government and YouTube were engaged in "joint action."
Social Media Isn't To Blame for the Deadly Stabbing of a British Member of Parliament
Attempts by British lawmakers to erase online anonymity would lead to radical speech being pushed underground.
"People Are Less Interested in Discussion Than Domination"
Wise words from the target of TrapPartyGate.
No Heckler's Veto: Georgia Court's Decision Rejecting $1.5M Nuisance Verdict Against Abortion Clinic Stands
The verdict was chiefly based on the actions of protesters and arsonists; the Georgia Court of Appeals rejected it, and the Georgia Supreme Court has just refused to rehear the case.
Nigerian Separatist Group Sues Wash. Times, U. of Baltimore, Professor for Libel
The lawsuit is brought by the group Indigenous People of Biafra, which has been labeled a terrorist group by the Nigerian government.
Bans on Political Discrimination in Places of Public Accommodation and Housing
A forthcoming article of mine in the New York University Journal of Law & Liberty.