Civil Liberties
Academics Use Imaginary Data in Their Research
Academia values the appearance of truth over actual truth.
Campus Anti-Israel Protests and the Ethics of Civil Disobedience
Civil disobedience is sometimes justified. But current law-breaking by anti-Israel protestors on college campuses doesn't come close to meeting the requisite moral standards.
Judge Says Alabama Can't Punish Helping People Go to Other States to Get Abortions
"[T]his case is simply about whether a State may prevent people within its borders from going to another State, and from assisting others in going to another State, to engage in lawful conduct there."
Minnesota's Indefinite Detention of Sex Offenders Is Ineffective As Well As Unjust
A new report argues that the notorious program squanders taxpayer money while keeping people imprisoned without justification or recourse.
Americans Care About Inflation, but Politicians Don't
Plus: A listener asks the editors about cancelling student loan debt.
What I Saw at the University of Virginia's Protest Crackdown
The college had a legal right to break up the pro-Palestine encampment. But does that mean it should?
Missouri Bill Would Ban Eminent Domain, but Only for Wind and Solar Projects
The Show Me State has plenty of room to rein in laws on taking private property, but instead, lawmakers are focusing only on one very narrow use case.
MIT President Says MIT Is Finally Shutting Down Anti-Israel Encampment
"And no matter how peaceful the students' behavior may be, unilaterally taking over a central portion of our campus for one side of a hotly disputed issue and precluding use by other members of our community is not right."
Pseudonymity Tentatively Allowed in "Wet Farts" Wrongful Discipline Lawsuit Against Columbia
When may plaintiffs in highly politically controversial cases sue pseudonymously, in order to avoid public hostility?
Even If You Support Police, Don't Ban People From Recording Them
Filming cops is a First Amendment right, and there are already plenty of laws against harassing them.
Ben Sasse on Speech and Protest at the University of Florida
The former Senator says "the adults are still in charge" in Gainesville
WSJ: How Campus Anti-Israel Protestors Were Encouraged and Trained By Outside Activists
An interesting report that helps explain why the messaging, tactics, and methods adopted by campus protestors have been so similar across the country.
"Not In Our Name": Tablet on the Antisemitism Awareness Act
A Jewish journal argues the problem is not the Act's definition of antisemitism, but the larger anti-speech bureaucratic edifice.
Trump Promises To Give Police 'Immunity From Prosecution'
The pledge, while mostly legally illiterate, offers a reminder of the former president's outlook on government accountability.
Message from Johns Hopkins University President
"I am writing today to reiterate the reasons why the encampment is so problematic and why I am calling on you to end it."
Dental Dams for Palestine
Plus: San Francisco can't fix homelessness, future lawyers can't handle cops, and more...
The Antisemitism Awareness Act Will Make It Illegal To Criticize Israel on Campus
The protesters deserve criticism—but Congress is the real threat.
L.A. Beats NYC?
Plus: Trump speaks at L.P. convention, Bill Ackman buys Zyn for the frat bros, Ukraine flagging, and more...
This Elderly Man Was Arrested After Shooting a Burglar in Self-Defense—for Carrying the Gun Without a License
Vincent Yakaitis is unfortunately not the first such defendant. He will also not be the last.
Florida Man's Tall Grass Saga Comes to an End
One man’s overgrown yard became a six-year struggle against overzealous code enforcement.
Supreme Court Won't Stop Texas Porn Law From Taking Effect
"We will continue to fight for the right to access the internet without intrusive government oversight," says the group challenging the law.
Weaponized Bananas
Plus: Ceasefire negotiations, Chinese regulators, American crime, and more...
"Plaintiff Threatened the District Staff's Jobs, Reputation, Careers, and Legal Liability—Not Their Physical Safety"
Tenth Circuit upholds preliminary injunction in favor of volunteer football coach, high school founder, and school district critic.
Feds Worried About Anarchists Gluing the Locks to a Government Facility
A FOIA request reveals what the FBI and Homeland Security had to say about anarchist activities on May Day 2015.
Groundhog Day for the Crypto Wars: The DOJ on Bitcoin Prowl
The government always has seemingly good reasons to sidestep people’s rights.
For Peaceful Campus Protests, Colleges Need Free Speech Principles
Even vile speech is protected, but violence and other rights violations are not.
Journalism Is Not a Crime, Even When It Offends the Government
Julian Assange and Priscilla Villarreal were both arrested for publishing information that government officials wanted to conceal.
Alabama Woman Arrested for Refusing To Give a Cop Her I.D.
Alabama law doesn't let police demand individuals' government identification. But they keep arresting people anyway.
Illinois Won't Let Him Do His Job Filing Paperwork—Unless He Gets a Private Detective License
David Knott helps clients retrieve unclaimed property from the government. The state has made it considerably harder for him to do that.
Free Speech Unmuted: Free Speech on Campus
The latest video podcast episode from Prof. Jane Bambauer and me.
"If He Did Not Want to Be Called a 'Rioter,' Plaintiff Should Not Have Admitted … to 'Participation in … [a] Riot'"
Plus, the significance of omitting "IDK."
Should Free Speech Pessimists Look to Europe?
Calls from the left and right to mimic European speech laws bring the U.S. to a crossroads between robust First Amendment protections and rising regulation.
The Genocide Question
Plus: College protest follow-up, AI and powerlifting, tools for evading internet censorship, and more...
Alleged "QAnon John"'s Libel Lawsuit Against Anti-Defamation League Can Go Forward
The court held that the ADL's claims were factual assertions, and not just opinions; whether they are false assertions, and whether plaintiff is a limited-purpose public figure (who would therefore have to show knowing or reckless falsehood) remains to be decided.
