Civil Liberties
"Little State Weasel" and the First Amendment
An interesting dissent from denial of review by Texas's high court for criminal cases.
Pennsylvania's New $4 Million Prison Mail System Brings Privacy Concerns
Civil liberties lawyers worry that sensitive documents could end up in the wrong hands.
U.K.'s Top Court Sides with Baker in Gay Cake Case
No, a baker cannot be compelled to "support gay marriage" with frosting.
Partisans United Against Free Speech
The culture of free speech has been deteriorating for long enough that politics, sadly and predictably, is catching up.
Kavanaugh's Elevation to the Supreme Court Is a Moment of Worrying Instability
His true impact may be less about transforming the Court's ideology, and more about altering its status in political life.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Free Speech Warrior?
The former president of Iran, who once banned Twitter, discovers the joys of social media.
Facebook Hack Another Warning Sign Against Online Centralization
The bigger the company, the bigger the target.
Sugar Babies, Sexual Assault Claims, Takedown Demands, and Microaggressions
All together, in a Minnesota Court of Appeals decision handed down today.
Did Saudi Arabia Murder This Expat Journalist for Criticizing the Government?
Jamal Khashoggi visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last week. He hasn't been seen since.
Woman Alleges Police Demanded She Remove Anti-Kavanaugh Sign
The Hamilton, Texas City Manager, claims the police didn't threaten her or forcibly remove the sign, but that "a police member visited the owner's home, and the owner asked the officer to take the sign."
Dissent and Disarray in Putin's Russia
The authoritarian president's hold on power may be shakier than it looks.
New Zealand Law Is an Affront to Travelers' Privacy, but Things Aren't Much Better Here
In New Zealand, customs officials can now demand that travelers unlock their electronic devices.
Thoughts on Today's Supreme Court Oral Argument in Knick v. Township of Scott - A Crucial Property Rights Case
There is reason for cautious optimism that the Supreme Court will overrule or at least curtail a precedent that makes it difficult to bring many takings claims in federal court.
My Wall Street Journal Op Ed on Important Property Rights Case that Will be Argued before the Supreme Court Tomorrow
Knick v. Township of Scott addresses the issue of whether property owners with Takings Clause claims are entitled to access to federal court on the same terms as constitutional rights cases.
Fight Fizzles Before Police Arrive; Cops Start Tasing and Arresting People Anyway
Cops were greeted by a calm scene, but the situation quickly erupted into chaos.
Pro-Marijuana Activist Banned from Part of State Capitol for Quoting Racist Rationales for Marijuana Ban
Friday, a federal district judge issued an injunction against the ban.
How a 1965 Supreme Court Ruling Explains the Partisan Battle Over Kavanaugh's Confirmation
Opposition to Kavanaugh stems from a case that was decided the year Kavanaugh was born and was argued by professors from the law school from which he graduated.
Judge Willett and Justice Sotomayor Attack Qualified Immunity for Cops
A libertarian-leaning federal judge and a liberal Supreme Court justice both make the case against qualified immunity.
British Group Fighting Secret Government Surveillance Subjected to Secret British Government Surveillance
U.K. government officials insisted they didn't collect and store communications data of Privacy International. Turns out they did.
Public Transit Can't Ban "Disparaging" Ads
So the Ninth Circuit held, applying the reasoning from the Slants case (Matal v. Tam).
Do Laws Requiring People to Report Crimes Violate the First Amendment?
The logic of a recent Second Circuit decision suggests that they do.
The Marine Le Pen Case Shows That Supposedly Enlightened France Treats Political Speech As a Crime and a Symptom of Mental Illness
The right-wing politician faces prosecution and psychiatric examination for posting pictures of ISIS atrocities.
Texas Attorney General Ignores 75 Years of Supreme Court Rulings Trying to Force a Student to Stand for the Pledge
The irony is that she's protesting authoritarian police behavior.
Can DHS Shoot Down Citizen Drones? House Votes Today: Reason Roundup
Plus: why Gary Johnson will be good for the Senate, "toxic culture" at the TSA, the dismissal of an anti-FOSTA lawsuit, and a new economic freedom index.
Minnesota Star Tribune Seeking to Unseal Rep. Keith Ellison's Divorce Records
A conservative publication had already filed such a motion; Ellison is the candidate for Minnesota Attorney General, and Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee.
Twitter Implementing European-Style Hate Speech Bans
Will it stop toxic behavior or just encourage more demands for censorship?
Protesters End Ted Cruz's Dinner Early, Accomplish Little Else
They got plenty of attention, but that's about it.
Lion King Puppet Technician Arrested Over 3D-Printed Pistol at Theater
Ilya Vett claims he was making the gun as a "gift" for his brother. But he was still arrested and charged with attempted criminal possession of a firearm.
Google and Privatized Authoritarianism
The tech giant appears willing to do almost anything to win access to the vast Chinese market.
Would More Gun Control Lead to More Crime? A Debate
Criminologist Gary Kleck debated Paul Helmke, the former president and CEO of the Brady Center, at the Soho Forum.
House to Vote on 'Human Trafficking' Bill That Strengthens PATRIOT Act Spying
The PATRIOT Act fell out of fashion-but swap "human trafficker" for "terrorist" and let the civil liberties infringements roll!
From a 'Due Process' Perspective, the Brett Kavanaugh Hearing Will Be a Farce
"If this were a legal proceeding, many (if not all) of the members of the [Senate Judiciary Committee] would have to recuse themselves."
Debate: Corporate Data Collection Poses a Threat to Personal Freedom
There are lots of reasons to be concerned about government snooping, but how should we feel when private companies do it?
A Father Defends His Daughter with a Shotgun When Cops Break Into the Wrong House
"You got the wrong address. Don't shoot my daughter."
Criminal Libel Prosecution -- Under a Statute Struck Down 30 Years Before
A woman's case against the defendants who arranged the prosecution (a police department captain, who was her ex-husband and the target of her speech, and his friend who was a police investigator) can go forward.
Faisal Al Mutar Fights Radical Islam with Western Bestsellers
The head of Ideas Beyond Borders is translating books by Steven Pinker, Sam Harris, and others into Arabic and distributing them for free.
Birth Mother Ordered Not to Post Photo of Deceased Adopted Child
When she did post such a photo, she was arrested and prosecuted -- a remarkable case from two years ago, which I just learned about.
Government Boycotts Based on Companies' (and Their Employees') Speech
More on their unconstitutionality.
No, Government Boycotts of Nike Aren't Constitutional
The government may not discriminate against businesses because of the political views the business (or its spokesman) has expressed.
