Laurence Tribe, Several Others, and Me on "The Free Speech Implications of the 'De-Platforming' of Donald Trump"
I much enjoyed being on this American Constitution Society chapter panel.
Civil Liberties
Censor of Anti-China Speech Among Us
Two Illinois legislators meet with a high school principal complaining about an anti-China poster distributed by a student group, which promptly loses its faculty sponsor and has to
Avenatti v. Fox News Goes Full-On Civ Pro
Remember, the lawyer’s true superpower is to turn every question into a question about procedure.
Texas High Court Upholds Revenge Porn Statute,
by limiting it to exclude people who sincerely believed the material wasn't revenge porn (i.e., the participants had agreed that it be publicly released).
The Fear That Abolishing Qualified Immunity Would Expose Cops to Ruinous Personal Liability Is a Big Fat Red Herring
A study of civil rights cases found that "police officers are virtually always indemnified" by their employers.
Phoenix Authorities Used 'ACAB' Slogan To Designate Protesters as a Gang
Umbrellas, black clothing, and chanting "all cops are bastards" signal criminal street gang membership, prosecutors said.
Classes Canceled as Lawmakers Cut Boise State Budget Over Diversity Course Kerfuffle
The university abruptly shut down dozens of classes over an unfounded claim that a white student was taunted.
See the FBI Dig Through an Innocent Woman's Safe Deposit Box
In a lawsuit, attorneys for the box's owner allege that federal agents conducted an illegal search that may have resulted in the loss of some valuable gold coins.
Is It Libelous to Falsely Say Someone Is Working with the Police?
Special bonus connections: disbarred lawyers, Tupac Shakur, New York City political figures, and then-not-yet-Attorney-General Michael Mukasey.
Do Anti-BDS Laws Restrict Speech?
The line between commercial decisions and advocacy is not as clear as opponents of anti-Israel boycotts suggest.
Alan Dershowitz's Libel Lawsuit Against CNN Can Go Forward
The lawsuit stemmed from CNN's coverage of Dershowitz's argument in the first Trump impeachment trial.
Baton Rouge Cops Strip-Searched a Minor During a Traffic Stop and Entered a Family's Home Without a Warrant. The City Just Settled for $35,000.
The case is an indictment on just how hard it is to get accountability when the government violates your rights.
Minnesota Threatens To Fine This Engineer for Calling Himself an Engineer
Charles Marohn called himself an engineer in speeches and articles while his license was temporarily expired. The First Amendment protects his right to do that.
Labeling Video Filed in Court "Confidential" Doesn't Make It So
Yet "[i]t is particularly troubling to the Court that [the lawyer] appears to have survived this motion more by dumb luck than any concerted effort on his part to comply with either his professional responsibilities or the orders of this Court."
Does Libel Dispute About Whether "TheDemonatrix" Comics Are "Lolicon" Belong in Federal Court?
(Lolicon is "A Japanese term derived from the English phrase 'Lolita complex,' lolicon describes a fascination with cartoons of very young-looking girls engaged in varying degrees of erotic behavior.")
California Bill Would Ban "Protest Activities" Within 300 Feet of Vaccination Site
But people have as much right to protest vaccination sites as they do to protest factories, stores, or abortion clinics.
Has Our Criminal Justice System Gotten Better Since George Floyd's Death?
Plus: critical race theory and ideal libertarian political appointees
If You Deserted While Still in Boot Camp, You're Not a "Veteran"
So holds a Pennsylvania court, affirming a conviction for fraudulently obtaining money by claims of veteran status.
Affidavit Supporting Search Warrant, Considered in Motion-to-Suppress Hearing, Can't Be Sealed
But modest redactions are permissible.
A City Got Protections From Qualified Immunity After a Cop Killed a Man. SCOTUS Won't Hear the Case.
The decision will make it even more difficult for victims to hold the government accountable when their rights are violated.
Section 230 Haters Aren't Going Away
Though Trump is gone, the desire to bend the internet toward partisan goals is alive and well.
Texas Lawyers Can Be Sued for Libel for Press Releases About Complaints,
even if the press release accurately summarizes the Complaint; the rule is different in some states, such as California.
A Euclid Cop Killed a Man Who Had Been Sleeping in His Car. The Cop Can't Be Sued. The City Can't Be, Either.
The Supreme Court has a chance to fix this. The stakes are high.
Biden Wants To Spy on American Bank Accounts
Plus: Trump administration spied on CNN reporter, the right's wrong turn on economic liberty, and more...
Prince Harry's First Amendment Aversion Is Funny; the Governments That Agree Are Scary
We expect British royals to favor muzzling commoners, but too many lawmakers feel the same way.
One Night in Miami
The movie depicts the fictionalized gathering of Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke, who spar over what each is doing to advance civil rights.
Will Pro-Life Politicians Face a Backlash If the Supreme Court Lets Them Restrict Abortion?
National surveys obscure large regional variations in public opinion about abortion limits.
1619 Project Author Nikole Hannah-Jones Denied Tenure at UNC-Chapel Hill
The surprising move raises concerns about academic freedom.
Teen Arrested Under Connecticut's Unconstitutional Hate Speech Law for Racist Social Media Post
Calling a classmate a racist slur on Snapchat is offensive. It’s also protected speech.
USPS Uses Facial Recognition and Other High-Tech Tools To Monitor Social Media
Plus: Three things that aren't as bad as they seem, Tennessee bans certain treatments for transgender minors, and more...
Congressional Democrats Waffle on Qualified Immunity
Cops say they can't function without qualified immunity, while their supporters on the right say abolishing it would be a step toward defunding the police. Neither claim is true.
Cops Who Beat a Man After Pulling Him Over for Broken Lights Receive Qualified Immunity
The victim will now have no right to argue his case before a jury in civil court.
Facebook's Oversight Board Was Right To Ban Trump
It's a working model for non-state governance in cyberspace that is vastly preferable to government control of social media.
Overreacting To Domestic Terrorism Makes It Worse
Targeting “extremists” threatens civil liberties while increasing the stresses that lead to violence.
Get a Warrant, Supreme Court Tells Cops Who Seized Guns From Home Without Due Process
Plus: On SATs and bias, what changed when Texas lifted its mask mandate, and more...
From FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, About Baltimore Prosecutor Marilyn Mosby's Complaint
Released May 10, but just posted on Westlaw.
Gun Buybacks Don't Seem To Significantly Lower Gun Crimes or Gun Deaths
The policies don't accomplish much more than putting money in some gun owners' pockets.
Court Affirms >$10M Libel Verdict Against Disgruntled Ex-Employee-Turned-Competitor
The defendant had been barred from presenting his defense, as a sanction for his persistent violation of court orders, including one that he had expressly consented to.
He's on Montana's Sex Offender Registry for Consensual Gay Sex—and the State Wants To Keep Him There
Plus: Cult panic, what the AT&T merger means, and more...
Americans Don't Want Schools To Punish Off-Campus Speech
Only students support extending the power to penalize speech, raising concerns about what they’re learning in school.
