Civil Liberties
As His Final Move in Office, Jeff Sessions Limits Use of Court Settlements to Reform Rotten Police Departments
Sessions was a staunch critic of consent decrees that forced police departments to reform unconstitutional practices.
California's 'Reasonable Regulation' of Guns Did Not Stop the Thousand Oaks Shooting
The state has some of the nation's strictest firearm laws.
Threatening Cable News Hosts Doesn't Help Anyone
Whether it's Tucker Carlson or Don Lemon, violent threats are the wrong way to go.
Federal Judge Says It's Plausible That Andrew Cuomo Violated the First Amendment by Pressuring Banks and Insurers to Shun the NRA
The organization's lawsuit against New York's governor survives a motion to dismiss.
New California Gov. Gavin Newsom Has Been 'Vocally Anti-Gun Every Chance He Gets'
Outcoming Gov. Jerry Brown was no gun rights advocate, but if Newsom's voting record is any indication, he's likely to be even worse.
Andrew Cuomo's Unconstitutional Assault on the NRA
New York's governor is violating the First Amendment by pressuring banks and insurers to shun "gun promotion organizations."
For Many Pro-Gun Republicans, Gun Ownership Is Skin Deep
The difference between exercising one's 2nd Amendment right and "looking very threatening and intimidating."
NRA's Free Speech Claims Against N.Y. Officials May Proceed
The NRA alleges that New York officials are trying to pressure banks and insurance companies not to deal with the NRA, because of the NRA's political activities.
Is a Privacy Violation an "Injury"?
The Supreme Court's call for supplemental briefing in Frank v. Gaos will lead it to a difficult question.
Federal Judge Advocates Jury Nullification After Being Shocked by Overzealous Child Pornography Prosecution
It just makes sense to let jurors know about their already established power to exercise discretion over bad laws and ill-considered prosecutions.
Is Your Ballot Selfie Legal?
Banning ballot selfies to stop voter fraud is like "burning down the house to roast the pig" said the First Circuit Court of Appeals. But many states still do it.
Libel Case Can't Be Litigated with the Alleged Libel Sealed, Says Federal Court
"Once a matter is brought before a court for resolution, it is no longer solely the parties' case, but also the public's case."
D.C. Unfriends Silicon Valley
Social media execs did themselves no favors by becoming so closely identified with the Democratic Party.
Nigerian Army Justifies Killing Protesters With Trump Video on Stone-Throwing Migrants
Trump's comments are not the same as the Nigerian Army's actions. But regardless of the nation, shooting protesters is bad.
No Preliminary Injunction Against Alleged Political Campaign Libel, Rules Federal Judge
Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson was trying to block ads that criticized her and allegedly defamed her.
Condemning Extreme Rhetoric, NYT Columnist Says Conservative Pundits Incite Murder
Jim Rutenberg's indictment of "the Incitement Industry" charges right-wing provocateurs with complicity in violence.
In Europe and in Pakistan, Two Women Are Condemned for Insulting Muhammad
Anti-hate speech laws have gone too far.
Alabama Abortion Fight Could Come to the Supreme Court: Reason Roundup
Plus: New details on federal bullying of banks, a new fight over nutrition advice, and new migrant mania from President Trump
Police Detained a College Student Over Terminator Costume
University Police issued a warning even after admitting that the student did nothing wrong.
Neither 'Capacity' Nor 'Power' Distinguishes 'Assault Weapons' From Other Firearms
The New York Times continues to push the myth that there is something uniquely deadly about the guns Dianne Feinstein wants to ban.
Calls for 'Commonsense' Gun Control Sound Senseless After Pittsburgh Shooting
Politicians' demands for stricter laws are notably lacking in detail and logic.
Memphis Police Ordered to Stop Revisiting History by Snooping on Protesters
A decade of surveillance from the civil rights era makes a technology and social-media-fueled return.
Fourth Circuit Rejects Gag Order on Parties and Potential Witnesses, in Murphy-Brown Hog Farm Litigation
"Whatever differences the parties and their supporters have, they possess in common a passionate First Amendment interest in debating their futures. It seems very wrong that a court would take that from them."
Are We in a New Era of Political Violence?: Podcast
Are we all just living through Elon Musk's dystopian simulation?
Will Supreme Court Tackle More LGBT Cases Next Term?
Justices are being asked yet again to argue about wedding cakes and whether the Civil Rights Act covers discrimination against gay and transgender people.
Ready to Get Off Facebook? Reason Reviews 5 Alternative Social Networks.
Facebook, Twitter, and other mainstream social networks have their issues. Are these 5 platforms viable alternatives?
Trump's Rhetoric Is Divisive, Contemptible, Un-Presidential. It's Also Not Responsible for the Synagogue Shooting.
Killers are responsible for their actions and the leap from rhetoric to action, along with all the blood they shed, is on their hands alone.
Gab Dumped by Tech Companies Over Synagogue Shooter Posts but Twitter, Facebook, and Other Social-Media Giants Get a Pass: Reason Roundup
Plus: Brazil's worrisome new president, the long-tail of the housing crisis, and Brett Kavanaugh's replacement
Mail Bomber Cesar Sayoc Threatened Me on Facebook
How it happened and what (if anything) we can learn from such cases.
Orson Welles Defends the Freedom to Publish Gruesome Horror Comics
Friday A/V Club: A flimmaker fights a moral panic.
European Court: OK to Criminalize Calling Mohammed a Pedophile
That's part of a broader doctrine under which European countries are still allowed to punish blasphemy.
European Court: Woman's Criticism of Muhammad Doesn't Count as Free Expression
Her statements may have been offensive. But that doesn't mean she shouldn't have a right to make them.
Injunction Against "Harassing" Online Speech Struck Down on First Amendment Grounds
"We cannot adopt the trial court's preference to treat a [personal protection order], which in this case is a prior restraint on ... speech, as a means 'to help supplement the rules that we all live in society by.' The First Amendment ... demands that we not treat such speech-based injunctions so lightly."
Does the First Amendment Protect a Presumptive Right to Access Criminal Court Records?
The Colorado Supreme Court said "no" -- eleven federal circuits and many state high courts say "yes" -- the Supreme Court is being asked to review the case.
9 Months in Prison for Forging Court Orders Aimed at Vanishing Online Material
"Arnstein ... submitted the counterfeit orders, which appeared to be valid on their face, to Google and requested that Google de-index the websites containing the purportedly defamatory information."
FDIC Attempts to Pressure Banks into Denying Services to Payday Lenders Violates Due Process Rights, Lenders Argue
Lawsuit wants to curb actions like "Operation Choke Point' in which bank regulators discourage banks from servicing certain customers, including gun and ammo dealers.
Teacher Disciplined for "Bullying" Student Who Had Put Up a Swastika
More than a year later, an arbitrator held the discipline was largely (though not entirely) improper.
Why Mandatory National Service is Both Unjust and Unconstitutional
A post based on my presentation at a panel on mandatory national service organized by the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service.
Portland Man Protests Extremist Dicks With Dildo March
Martin Connolly's "Stop Sending Dildos to Portland" protest will have marchers waving sex toys on city streets, and maybe stopping by a brew pub.
Columbus Cops Want Credit for Not Killing 2 Black Boys Who Had a BB Gun
Officer Peter Casuccio lectured the kids for endangering their lives by doing something that was perfectly legal.
Secret Gag Order on Lawyers in Ohio Capital Murder Trial—Supported by Secret Arguments
Kind of like with the turtles, it's seals all the way down. [UPDATE: The local publicity appears to have led the court to unseal the gag order -- so now we know what people aren't allowed to talk about, though they're still not allowed to talk about it.]
Civil Liberties and Socialism Don't Mix
Democratic socialists say they believe in civil liberties, but their ideology is and will always be hostile to individual freedom.
