Civil Liberties
I'm No Fan of UVA's President. That Doesn't Mean the Government Should Force Him Out.
Jim Ryan is the latest casualty in Trump's unconstitutional war against elite universities.
Trump Is Now More Powerful Thanks to the Supreme Court. But Will It Last?
Plus: Conservatives won big overall this year at the Supreme Court.
Federalist Society Webinar on the 20th Anniversary of Kelo v. City of New London
The panelists included Peter Byrne (Georgetown), Wesley Horton (counsel for New London in the case), Timothy Sandefur (Goldwater Institute), and myself.
The 5th Circuit Rejects Qualified Immunity for a Child-Snatching Texas Cop Who Falsely Alleged Abandonment
Alexandra Weaver argued that she could not reasonably have been expected to know her actions were unconstitutional.
No Qualified Immunity for School District Police Officer Who Seized Home-Schooled 14-Year-Old from Home
The child, and her 12-year-old brother, were left under the supervision of a neighbor by the mother, who left town for six days for a foreign job interview.
Cancellation Litigation + Doxing Claim, over Allegedly Malicious Publicizing of Snapchat Video with Allegedly Racist Statements
"[B]oth parties exchanged these Snapchat videos while they were intoxicated and their judgment was impaired. Notwithstanding, the communications were private and intended to be jokes between close friends."
New Orleans City Council Considers Ordinance To Adopt Real-Time Facial Recognition Technology
America is slipping steadily down the slippery slope to a surveillance state.
Clarence Thomas Undermines Free Speech in Porn Site Age-Verification Case
The Supreme Court's decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton weakens the First Amendment rights of adults everywhere.
Criminal Justice Reformers Should Welcome Pam Bondi's Gun Rights Restoration Initiative
Democratic critics of the new program overlook the injustice of permanently disarming Americans who pose no threat to public safety.
How DHS Facial Recognition Tech Spread to ICE Enforcement
More government agencies are using facial recognition for enforcement than ever before.
How Should Courts Analyze Age Verification Requirements for Porn That's Illegal for Minors?
Prohibiting the distribution of porn to minors, the Court says, legitimately carries with it some burdens on adults as well, when the burdens are closely linked to distinguishing the adults and the minors.
Big Free Speech Takeaway from Today's Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton Porn Age Verification Decision
"Strict scrutiny is unforgiving because it is the standard for reviewing the direct targeting of fully protected speech.... [A]s a practical matter, it is fatal in fact absent truly extraordinary circumstances."
Trump Plans To Dismiss Hundreds of Thousands of Asylum Claims To Boost Deportations
Dismissing asylum applications for migrants who entered the U.S. unlawfully would boost immigration-related arrests, but have little impact on public safety.
No Pseudonymity for Illinois Ex-Med Student Suing Under Title IX to Challenge Dismissal for Sexual Misconduct
The Seventh Circuit is generally much more hesitant than courts in other circuits to allow pseudonymity in such cases.
Zohran Mamdani's Jewish Problem
The presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor of New York has repeatedly missed opportunities to forthrightly condemn antisemitic violence.
Lawyers' Public Allegations of Racial Prejudice by Trial Judge Lead to 30-Day Suspension
The Florida Supreme Court concludes that, among other things, the allegations were knowingly or recklessly false.
Immigration Raids Are Ensnaring Innocent, Legal Bystanders
That's inevitable. It should also be deeply troubling to anyone who cares about constitutional government.
Student Visa Applicants Will Now Be Forced To Make Their Social Media Accounts Public
The Trump administration continues its war against disfavored speech.
Pride Is a Triumph of the First Amendment
Free speech, assembly, and protest—not government action—have powered LGBTQ+ progress in America.
Reflections on the 10th Anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges - A Great Civil Rights Milestone that Could be Even Better
The Supreme Court's ruling striking down laws banning same-sex marriage was a great victory for liberty and equality. But it should have been based on better legal reasoning.
Reason Earns 15 Southern California Journalism Awards
First-place finishes include a piece on the Dutch "dropping" rite of passage, a documentary exploring citizen journalism and free speech, and a long-form interview with exoneree Amanda Knox.
Advertising Companies Cave to the FTC. Media Matters Sues To Defend the First Amendment.
Omnicom Group and the Interpublic Group of Companies accepted the Federal Trade Commission's anti-boycott proviso to complete their merger. Instead of capitulating to the commission, Media Matters is suing.
Defamation, Emotional Distress, Racism/Sexism Allegations, and Discovery
"[Defendant ex-employer's] request for all of [plaintiff's] communications containing language that is sexist or racist is overbroad."
Conflict and Loathing Among Signature Gatherers + Battery, Slurs, and Self-Defense
"While Mr. Legorreta may have been calling Cobham an 'asshole' and making other comments, and even if he called Cobham the 'N' word these events do not justify or provide a defense of self-defense."
Crossing the U.S. Border? Keep Your Electronic Devices Safe from Searches.
Officials at the border have the power to paw through sensitive data on your phone.
The Rationale for Deporting Mahmoud Khalil Is Alarmingly Vague and Broad
Marco Rubio’s nebulous invocation of foreign policy interests is bound to have a chilling impact on freedom of speech, which is the whole point.
Supreme Court Issues Terrible Shadow Docket Decision Lifting Injunction Against "Third Country" Deportations of Migrants Without Due Process
The ruling includes no analysis. Justice Sotomayor's dissent has a compelling explanation of why it is wrong.
Don't Blame 23andMe for the Federal Government's Lack of Clear Data Privacy Rules
A lawsuit against the genomics company "imposes top-down restrictions" rather than "establishing clear rules" or "letting companies equip individuals with better tools to manage their privacy," says one expert.
Big Business as Gun Control
Partly from coercion and partly by choice, many banks and social media businesses impose severe gun controls
Illinois Court Dismisses Defamation Suit Based on Allegations that Plaintiff Teacher Was "Anti-White" etc.
The court does, however, leave open the possibility that the plaintiff can file an amended complaint that can go forward.
No Pseudonymity for Vexatious Litigant, Even When She Is Alleging Sexual Assault
"[A]llowing plaintiff to proceed under a pseudonym could enable her to evade judicial oversight under the vexatious litigant rules by obscuring her litigation history and identity across multiple cases."
Appeals Court Blocks Louisiana Ten Commandments in Classrooms Law
"If H.B. 71 goes into effect, Students will be subjected to unwelcome displays of the Ten Commandments for the entirety of their public school education. There is no opt-out option," the court's opinion reads.
Trump's Unconstitutional Act of War
Plus: A criminal justice case that managed to unite Alito and Gorsuch.
Campaign Finance Laws Institutionalize Corruption
Powerful political allies get a pass, while dissenters are crushed with massive fines. This isn’t a flaw in the system—it’s the point.
No Preliminary Injunctions Against Penn's Sanctions on Prof. Amy Wax
"[W]hatever harm she claims, it is not imminent, irreparable harm. Her damages, if any, are monetary damages."
The 9th Circuit Says California's One-Per-Month Limit on Gun Purchases Is Unconstitutional
The appeals court concluded that the restriction impinges on the right to arms and is not consistent with the historical tradition of firearm regulation.
