Civil Liberties
Cody Wilson Takes Gun Plans Offline After Judge Issues Restraining Order
But thanks to the internet, it may not matter.
Federal Judge Breaks Up Albuquerque's Car Theft Ring
A new ruling says the city's civil forfeiture program violates the right to due process.
3 Things People Don't Get About the Homemade Gun Making Story
The government's decision to settle a lawsuit with Defense Distributed doesn't change anything significant. It's not Trump's fault. And the underlying case was as much about free speech as it was about guns.
Facebook Removes More Fake Pages Trying to Make You Mad About Politics
If you were planning to attend an anti-right rally in D.C. next week, we've got some awkward news for you.
Kevin McCarthy Wants Twitter to Kick Out a Congressional Candidate
...after months of complaining that social media companies censor too much.
Colorado Police Mistakenly Kill an Armed Man Defending His Home
An officer with the Aurora Police Department is on paid leave after confusing an armed homeowner with the intruder he shot and killed.
Hundreds of Floridians Ordered to Surrender Guns Thanks to 'Red Flag' Law, Report Says
Critics say the "red flag" law is violating Floridians' constitutional rights.
8 States Sue Federal Government, Defense Distributed Over Gun-Making Computer Files
The states allege that the Feds decision to settle its lawsuit with Defense Distributed violates administrative procedure law and the states' 10th Amendment rights.
Likely Sarcastic Facebook Post Can't Justify Arrest of Author for Threats
Police generally need to investigate matters further, to see if the post was really a threat or sarcasm -- and if they don't investigate further, and don't have a good reason for the immediate arrest, they can be sued for a Fourth Amendment violation, and be denied qualified immunity.
What Janus Got Right -- and Wrong
Compelled Subsidies and the First Amendment -- a new article with co-blogger Eugene Volokh, forthcoming in the Harvard Law Review
Defense Distributed Sues New Jersey, Los Angeles Over Legal Threats
The authorities threatened the gun-making software and hardware company. Now the company is striking back, citing its First and Second Amendment rights.
Gun Control Groups Fail to Stop Distribution of Gun-Making Computer Files
The previously prohibited computer files related to making guns at home are now legally available in resolution of long-standing lawsuit involving Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed.
ACLU Accuses Memphis Police of Monitoring the Private Communications of Black Lives Matter Activists
Domestic surveillance in Tennessee.
Sacha Baron Cohen Duped Republican Lawmakers Into Saying Some Really Stupid Things
The Borat comedian's new "Kinder Guardian" videos put lawmakers in cringe-worthy light.
School District Provides $25K + Apology to Student Barred from Wearing "Trump Border Wall" T-Shirt
A follow-up to the May federal court decision holding that the school district's actions violated the First Amendment.
Twitter Sucks Because We Suck. Don't Blame @Jack
If social media feels like a cesspool, don't go swimming.
Cleveland City Councilman Got Order Requiring Two Citizen Critics to Stay 500 Feet Away from Him
Yet the order (narrowed on appeal to 50 feet, but still unconstitutional) seems to have been based on pretty normal -- if acrimonious -- local political debate. We're asking the Ohio Supreme Court to review the decision upholding it.
Jeff Sessions, Head Federal Prosecutor, Remembers That Due Process Exists
Nice to see that the nation's top law enforcement officer is aware of "innocent until proven guilty."
Amazon Facial Recognition Confuses Members of Congress with Criminals
The ACLU stunt is intended to warn against using tech to identify suspects.
Trump Says 'Shadow-Banning' Conservatives on Twitter Is 'Illegal,' Promises Investigation
Trump used Twitter to blast Twitter for allegedly censoring several prominent conservative leaders.
Liberty Makes Us Unfree, Says the ACLU
The government wouldn't abuse us if we'd stop making it upset, according to the one-time civil liberties advocacy group.
Twitter 'Shadow Bans' Affect Some Conservative Leaders but Not Their Liberal Counterparts
Devin Nunes gets the Richard Spencer treatment.
Is the Right to Bear Arms Limited to Guns in Plain Sight?
The 9th Circuit has endorsed a distinction that does not jibe very well with modern attitudes.
Ninth Circuit: Second Amendment Secures Right to Carry Guns in Public
The Ninth Circuit had earlier held -- citing D.C. v. Heller -- that the Second Amendment doesn't secure a right to concealed carry, but the panel now holds that it secures a right to carry openly (though it reserves the possibility that a state might be able to choose whether to allow open carry or to allow concealed carry).
Nikki Haley Warns Young Conservatives Against 'Owning the Libs'
"I know that it's fun and that it can feel good, but step back and think about what you're accomplishing when you do this-are you persuading anyone?"
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Rails Against Campus Bias Response Teams
"Donald Trump doesn't believe anyone can tell him how to speak," said Sessions.
National Ban on Smoking in Public Housing Is Unconstitutional, Lawsuit Says
Tenants are challenging a HUD rule that requires local public housing authorities across the country to prohibit people from smoking in their homes.
Schumer: 'Sounding an Alarm' on 'Scary,' 'Dangerous' 3D Guns
The New York senator is scared that people will build semi-automatic weapons from the comfort of their homes.
Secret Carter Page Surveillance Warrant Documents Released
Heavily redacted report shows the FBI believed former Trump aide was helping the Russians.
Statistics in NIFLA v. Becerra, the Crisis Pregnancy Center Disclosure Case
Check out how the majority and the dissent describe one aspect of the California disclosure rules.
House Committee on Un-American Activities
The Life and Death of a Hollywood Blacklist
Sometimes censorship is a public-private partnership.
Should Facebook Ban Holocaust Deniers and Professional Trolls?: Podcast
Reason's Robby Soave and Mike Riggs debate whether Mark Zuckerberg's should de-platform haters such as Alex Jones and Infowars to improve the user experience.
"Indictment: Man Behind Cyberattacks Was Working for Wichita Lawyer"
Federal prosecutors have indicted two men for attacking Leagle (an online repository of court opinions), RipOffReport (a consumer gripe site), and JaburgWilk.com (the site of a law firm that sometimes represents RipOffReport).
Mark Zuckerberg's Sister Simultaneously Rejects and Defends Facebook Censorship
Censorship is "nefarious." Unless it's being carried out by the government.
Do Offensive Social Media Posts Impugn the Criminal Justice System?
San Bernardino County investigator called Rep. Maxine Waters "a loud-mouthed c#nt" and mocked the victim of a police shooting. The DA appears unconcerned.
Mark Zuckerberg Speaks Out Against Removing Holocaust-Denying Speech
Indeed, Facebook shouldn't set itself up as the arbiter of historical truth (or scientific truth or moral beliefs) -- and doing that even as to Holocaust denial would just yield pressure for much more.
The Framers Did Not Know From 3D-Printed Guns. So How Can They Be Covered by the Second Amendment?
A former congressman suggests that homemade plastic guns can be banned because they did not exist in 1791.
In Defense of Mark Zuckerberg Letting Holocaust Deniers Use Facebook
Silencing hate isn't the same thing as squelching it.
'Good Guy With a Gun,' or Too Good to Be True?
This Arizona state Senate candidate says he killed his mother in self-defense more than 50 years ago. But does his story really add up?
Florida Couple Gets to Keep Home's 'Starry' Paint Job; Mayor Must Publicly Apologize for $10,000 Fine
In a settlement reached Tuesday night, two residents of Mount Dora, Florida, will receive $15,000 and permission to keep their Van Gogh-inspired paint job.
When Code Is Speech, Tech Like 3D-Printed Guns Sees Greater Protection from Censorship
Gun owners can now enjoy First and Second Amendment safeguards.
Second Amendment Injunction Against California Ban on Large-Capacity-Magazines Kept in Place by Ninth Circuit
The panel concludes that the district court didn't abuse its discretion in issuing the injunction -- though the decision is non-binding.
Why Shouldn't a Free American Carry Hundreds of Thousands of Bucks in a Trader Joe's Paper Sack?
Entrapment prosecution of bitcoin exchangers highlights government's war on privacy.
Former President Obama Criticizes Leftist Shutdown Culture
You can't make the world a better place, he says, if you silence "those who aren't like you because they are white or they are male."
Judge Rescinds His Order That Had Required L.A. Times to Alter Story
The Times had published material from a plea agreement that was supposed to be sealed, but had been erroneously released by the court.
