Civil Liberties
Texas Public Library Can't Remove Books About 'Butts and Farts,' Federal Judge Says
The court ruled that it is unconstitutional for officials to remove library books with the "intent to deprive patrons of access to ideas with which they disagree."
'If They Can Control the Flow of Information, They Can Control You': BASEDPolitics Sues To Stop TikTok Ban
The plaintiffs hope to "help Republicans and conservatives see why this ban is inconsistent with the free speech values they say they care about."
Journal of Free Speech Law: "Fiction, Defamation, and Freedom of Speech," by Prof. Collin O'Neil
An article from the Defamation: Philosophical and Legal Perspectives symposium, sponsored by the Center for Legal Philosophy at UC Irvine.
Australian Censors Back Down, Highlighting the U.S. as a Free Speech Haven
Officials suspend efforts to force X to suppress the world’s access to video of a crime.
The Black Panther Who Was Banned From the Ballot
A segment of American voters want insurrectionist candidates. Who are election officials to deny them?
Louisiana's New 25-Foot Legal Forcefield for Police Threatens Accountability and Civil Liberties
A new law will make it much harder to film law enforcement officers in their public duties. Does that violate the First Amendment?
Police Flew Drones Over One California City Nearly 20,000 Times in 6 Years
A WIRED investigation reveals the extent to which residents of Chula Vista are subjected to surveillance from the sky.
D.C.'s Rules for Subway Ads Are Blocked in Federal Court
The transit authority was sued after rejecting an ad that directed viewers to go to a website "to find out about the faith of our founders."
Journal of Free Speech Law: "True Defamation," by Prof. Jeffrey S. Helmreich
An article from the Defamation: Philosophical and Legal Perspectives symposium, sponsored by the Center for Legal Philosophy at UC Irvine.
Plaintiff's Idaho Murder Libel Claim Beats Defendant's "Tarot Readings" and "Psychic Intuition"
"[T]he only support for Defendant's statements about Plaintiff is that Defendant's 'spiritual investigation' into the murders using 'intuitive tarot readings' led her to Plaintiff."
A Jumble of Legal Theories Failed To Give Trump 'Fair Notice' of the New York Charges Against Him
The lack of a clear rationale for charging Trump with 34 felonies raises a due process issue that is likely to figure in his appeals.
Does the First Amendment Protect Speech on Private Property?
Yes, when the restriction is being imposed by the government.
Journal of Free Speech Law: "Defamation, Presumed Damages, and Reputational Injury: A Legal and Philosophical Inquiry," by Prof. Benjamin C. Zipursky
An article from the Defamation: Philosophical and Legal Perspectives symposium, sponsored by the Center for Legal Philosophy at UC Irvine.
Journal of Free Speech Law: "Defamatory in Whose Eyes?," by Prof. Kenneth W. Simons
An article from the Defamation: Philosophical and Legal Perspectives symposium, sponsored by the Center for Legal Philosophy at UC Irvine.
Jay Bhattacharya: 'I Sued the Biden Administration for COVID Censorship'
Bhattacharya explains the stakes of Murthy v. Missouri, the politicization of medical research, and his RFK Jr. endorsement.
Report: E.U. Censorship Laws Mostly Suppress Legal Speech
European speech regulations reach way too far to muzzle perfectly acceptable content.
Donald Trump and Hunter Biden Face the Illogical Consequences of an Arbitrary Gun Law
Their cases illustrate the injustice of taking away people’s Second Amendment rights based on nonviolent crimes
Harvard To Stop Requiring DEI Statements for Many Faculty Positions
Harvard is taking steps away from politicization. Will other schools follow?
Hunter Biden's Trial Highlights a Widely Flouted, Haphazardly Enforced, and Constitutionally Dubious Gun Law
The president's son, who is charged with crimes that violated no one's rights, theoretically faces up to 25 years in prison.
Essay on "How Constitutional Litigation Can Help End Exclusionary Zoning"
A guest post on economist Bryan Caplan's Bet On It substack.
Palestinian Students at Columbia Are Still Protesting. Is Anyone Listening?
Protesters came back to Columbia during reunion weekend. Palestinians tried to share their tragedies amidst the carnival-like atmosphere of campus politics.
Maryland Elementary School Tries To Force Students To Say The Pledge
Students have a constitutional right to refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance, no matter what school officials think.
Photo: Cops Crack Down on Campus Protests
The University of Texas is just one campus that has seen police arrest pro-Palestine demonstrators.
Trump's Conviction Requires Him To Surrender His Guns. Civil Libertarians Should Be Troubled.
The former president's loss of his Second Amendment rights highlights an arbitrary restriction that applies to many people with no history of violence.
The Supreme Court Was Right to Consider Andrew Cuomo's Unconstitutional Motives in NRA v. Vullo - and the same Principle Applies to Trump and Other Presidents
Chief executives' illicit motives can render their subordinates' actions unconstitutional. There is good reason for courts to enforce that rule.
SWAT Goes to College
Even in an era of police militarization, there’s something shocking about seeing cops in riot gear on college campuses.
Colorado Will Replace Cops With Drones for Some 911 Calls
While drones are less likely to shoot or maim innocent civilians, they could also pose privacy issues.
The NRA's Unanimous Supreme Court Victory Is Good for Free Speech—No Matter How You Feel About Guns
The ACLU, another polarizing organization, was willing to defend the NRA in court. That should tell you that some things aren't partisan.
These Strange Bedfellows Want SCOTUS To Remind the 5th Circuit That Journalism Is Not a Crime
An ideologically diverse mix of individuals and organizations supports a Texas journalist who was arrested for asking questions.
My Identifying Would-Be Jane Doe Litigant in Law Review Article Wasn't "Harassment,"
notwithstanding the claim that it “invites worldwide haters to threaten, stalk, and commit violence against” her.
Harvard Announces It Will Stop Releasing Political Statements
Following months of campus protests over the war between Israel and Hamas, the university has announced that it will no longer weigh in on current events.
A Missouri Police Officer Shot a Blind and Deaf Dog. Now He's Being Sued.
The town of Sturgeon initially defended the officer, saying he was afraid of being bitten by the 13-pound blind and deaf Shih Tzu.
The Illusion of Financial Privacy
Decades of legislation have chipped away at the financial privacy Americans believe they still have.
This Journalist Was Arrested, Strip-Searched, and Jailed for Filming Police. Will He Get Justice?
Justin Pulliam's arrest and lawsuit once again demand we ask if "real" journalists are entitled to a different set of rights.
Elementary Schools Ban Tag, Football, and Fun During Recess
"It really feels as though maybe we've lost touch with what's developmentally appropriate," says one Montgomery County mom.
Glenn Greenwald: Defund Israel and Free Assange
The free speech absolutist and co-founder of The Intercept dives deep into Israel, Latin America, and the necessity of decentralized media in the age of U.S. security state overreach.
Democrats Surprised To Learn Bombs Are Used To Bomb People
Sen. Elizabeth Warren condemned Israel for killing Palestinian civilians with bombs that she had voted to send Israel.
