Alabama Supreme Court to Cops: It's OK To Force a Pastor Watering Flowers To Show His ID
The court ruled that police can demand a physical ID under the state's stop-and-identify law.
Civil Liberties
Yale Admits Self-Censorship and Political Bias Are Eroding Trust in Higher Education
The Ivy League school released a self-critical report this week.
The Gun Debate Hasn't Changed in 500 Years
Guns disrupted the established order—and sparked modern-sounding debates over whether they could be effectively regulated.
FISA Reform Blues
Plus: The House passes a short-term FISA extension, Ron Wyden urges fellow Senate Democrats to oppose a "clean" bill, and Norway gets robot buses.
Despite Trump's Promises and Rodríguez's Amnesty Law, Hundreds of Venezuelan Dissidents Are Still Behind Bars
Courts are blocking amnesty applications for Venezuelan dissidents with no explanation and no appeal deadline.
San Jose's 'Creepy' and 'Deeply Intrusive' ALPR Camera System Is Unconstitutional, a New Lawsuit Says
The city has created a network of nearly 500 cameras that routinely monitor innocent people as they go about their daily lives.
62-Year-Old Protester Acquitted on All Charges for Wearing Penis Costume
The judge felt there was probable cause for an arrest but he declined to go so far as to convict.
Justice Ginsburg Cancer Treatment Leak Prosecution: Blame the Cat
"Russell insisted that he didn't know how his credentials had been used to run the 'Gins' and 'Ginston' searches. But he theorized that 'potentially his cat had run across the keyboard and typed in those letters.'"
Federal Judge Delivers Due Process Win Against DOJ Registry Overreach
The Justice Department is permanently blocked from prosecuting Californians who fail to register when the state no longer requires it.
In Poisoned Ivies, Stefanik Sees Censorship as a Cure for 'Anti-Americanism'
What is a greater rejection of America's founding ideals than an overreaching government trampling the First Amendment?
When the U.S. Censored a Movie About the American Revolution and Imprisoned Its Producer
Remembering the infuriating case of United States v. “The Spirit of ’76.”
Trump Says He's Willing To 'Risk' Your Rights for His Surveillance Powers
The president once said he wanted to kill warrantless electronic spying. So much for that.
Sen. Mike Lee Says Federal Prison Hung Up on Him When He Tried To Check on Inmate
Families have complained for years that the Bureau of Prisons fails to notify them when their incarcerated loved ones are seriously ill or even dying.
ICE Is Determined To Unmask a Reddit User Whose Only Crime Seems To Be Criticizing ICE
After withdrawing a summons in the face of a legal challenge, the government is seeking a grand jury subpoena.
"I Swear, if You Don't Drop Out of Miss Pennsylvania, I Will Come to Your Home and Set It on Fire"
"I don't even care if you or your mom are inside. I actually hope you are. You both deserve to die. I am going to kill you, Robyn. I don't understand why you don't get that. I will burn you. You will die."
Court Ordered Critic of Ex-Mayoral Candidate to Stop "Publicly Writing, Printing, or Speaking [Ex-Candidate's] Name"
Fortunately, an appellate court just reversed the decision.
Anti-Hate Poster Has No Home in Ohio Classroom, Says School District
The poster, which included a rainbow flag, counts as "instruction that includes sexuality content" and triggers an Ohio parents' rights law, the board said.
Trump's Illegal War in Iran Is Financed by Your Taxes. That's a Good Reason To Stop Paying Them.
If Congress will not deploy the power of the purse to restrain a lawless administration and an illegal war, then it falls to the public to do so.
House Readies Spy Powers Vote
Plus: New York wants to tax second homes, water in the Dupont Circle fountain, Polish robots chase wild boars, and more...
The FTC's Probe of Media Matters for America Is a Blatant Assault on Freedom of Speech
In the guise of investigating "potentially unlawful advertiser boycotts," the commission is punishing the organization for its views.
Workers' Comp Claim for "Exacerbation of Severe Mental Illness Due to Exposure of a Racially Insensitive Wooden Item"
"[S]he was told that a Mammy doll which depicts slavery was in the garage of the building where they worked.... [W]hen she saw the doll she was overcome with emotions because it was so humiliating.... [S]he could not control her emotions and could not think clearly."
Do You Have a Right To Wear a Penis Costume in Public? A 62-Year-Old Alabama Woman Is About To Find Out.
A police officer threw Renea Gamble to the ground and handcuffed her because her costume might have offended his kids.
Seventh Circuit Reaffirms: No Pseudonymity in Title IX Suits Claiming Wrongful Discipline
Many other courts do generally allow pseudonymity in those particular cases, but the Seventh Circuit disagrees.
California Law Restricts Naming Abortion/Gender-Affirming Care Providers/Patients (+ Soon Immigration Support Services Providers?) …
online, after they send a demand that they not be named (and declare that there has been an online-naming-related threat or incitement against them by someone else).
Court Orders OpenAI to Cut off (for 3 Weeks) ChatGPT Access by Mentally Ill and Dangerous User
Could a court likewise order, say, Gmail to cut off a person's access to his Gmail account, if there's reason to think the person has misused that account for criminal purposes? Does it matter that the person isn't a party to the proceeding, and thus can't assert his free speech rights?
A Federal Judge Dismisses Trump's Defamation Lawsuit Against The Wall Street Journal
Trump's failure to properly allege "actual malice" is consistent with his long history of filing shaky legal claims against people who say things he does not like.
President Trump's Libel Lawsuit Over Wall Street Journal Article on Epstein's Birthday Letters Dismissed
The court concludes that Trump hadn't adequately alleged facts that would support a finding that the defendants knew the article was false (or were reckless about the prospect); Trump has an opportunity to file an amended complaint if he can identify such facts.
Photo: Ring Calls Off the Search Party
Following a backlash to its Super Bowl commercial, Ring owner Amazon announced that it was canceling a planned partnership with Flock Safety.
Keonne Rodriguez on Bitcoin, Privacy, and Going to Prison
"We thought we were on the right side of the law," the Samourai Wallet co-founder tells Reason.
Petitioner's Regret No Grounds for Sealing of 8-Year-Old Restraining Order Documents
Petitioner's new-found "public figure" status, and concerns that records are "impeding his employment, professional credibility, and personal safety," don't justify sealing, either.
Follow-Up to "Reproducing Controversial Tweet in News Story = Fair Use" Post
"Market Erasure," "Three Plinths," "The March 2nd Transformation," "Karen" "branding," and "The Commercially Savvy Lawyer."
UNC Newspaper Halts Satire and Implements DEI Training After Backlash Over April Fools' Issue
Free speech lawyers say UNC violated North Carolina’s institutional neutrality law.
A Maryland Hospital Held a Woman for Months Against Her Will. The Supreme Court Will Decide if She Can Sue.
The case will determine whether an unnamed plaintiff can take the hospital and its doctors to federal court.
Massachusetts High Court: Claim Against Meta for Alleged Addiction of Children Can Go Forward Notwithstanding § 230
The court doesn't decide whether Meta actually violated state law, or whether it may have a First Amendment defense; those decisions will be made later in the case.
Allegations of Conspiracy Between Univ. of S. Florida and Jewish Groups, Brought by Students for Democratic Society Chapter, Rejected
"In essence, the plaintiffs argue that every time a Jew or Jewish organization contributes to (in this instance) a public university and that university, acting under established policy, disciplines a student who advocates for, in this instance, 'particularly Palestinian" policies, the simultaneous presence of the contribution and the discipline creates a plausible inference of a conspiracy between the contributor and the university to punish the "particularly Palestinian' advocate."
