Civil Liberties
The Twin Crusades Against Drugs and Guns
The war on drugs conspires with the war on guns to make a mockery of justice.
Obvious Gripe Site Isn't "False Personation"
“We conclude no reasonable person would believe Plummer created a website describing himself as vexatious, incompetent, or dishonest.”
A Federal Judge Rejects New York's Attempt To Defy the SCOTUS Decision Upholding the Right To Bear Arms
The decision is a warning to states that impose vague permit standards or sweeping bans on guns in "sensitive locations."
'Riotsville, U.S.A.' Explores the Origins of Police Militarization
Sierra Pettengill's documentary focuses on the fake towns, built by the Army in the 1960s, to train law enforcement.
Kiwi Farms Is Back
The return of the trollish forum demonstrates the futility of bans on bad speech.
A California Law Designed To Protect Children's Digital Privacy Could Lead to Invasive Age Verification
While the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act was hailed as a victory for digital privacy, critics warn of a litany of unintended consequences.
Court Rejects Avas Flowers' Libel Claims
"The allegedly defamatory nature of this statement is the implication that Plaintiff holds itself out as a local business when it is not. But truth is an affirmative defense to defamation under Delaware law, and the ... Declaration [submitted by Avas] does not deny that Plaintiff maintains call centers abroad in locations such as Mexico or Asia."
A Seattle Cop Gets Fired for Bad Tweets Instead of His Terrible Conduct
An officer used an anonymous account to lash out at police protesters (and a Reason post). He was uncovered and fired.
An Officer Hogtied and Tased an Autistic Child. Why Is He Still Allowed To Work as a Cop?
The Kansas credentialing body reprimanded the officer for using excessive force against a child, but stopped short of pulling his license.
Libel Lawsuit by Blackwater Founder Erik Prince Against The Intercept Rejected
A federal court held that Prince was a public figure, and hadn't offered enough plausible allegations that the defendants knew the statements were false or likely false (the so-called "actual malice" showing).
FIRE Podcast on Free Speech and the Texas Social Media Law
The podcast is a debate between legal scholar Brad Smith and myself.
Is a War on Policing Increasing Crime? Q&A With Rafael Mangual
In Criminal (In)Justice, the Manhattan Institute scholar argues that most reforms favored by social justice activists—and many libertarians—make life worse for communities of color.
Is a War on Policing Increasing Crime? Q&A with Rafael Mangual
In Criminal (In)Justice, the Manhattan Institute scholar argues that most reforms favored by social justice activists—and many libertarians—make life worse for communities of color.
A Campus Pro-Life Group Faced Criticism. Now, It Demands That Its Detractors Be 'Reprimanded.'
Students for Life at George Mason University claims that another student organization defamed the group by criticizing its event that compared abortion to slavery and segregation.
District Court in Title IX Sexual Assault Case Rejects One-Sided Pseudonymity
"Plaintiff has sought to avail herself of the protections of anonymity (without prior Court order), all the while single-handedly precluding the Named Defendant from the ability to avail himself of similar protections."
Mocking the Police Is Not a Crime
A First Amendment case prompts The Onion to explain how parody works.
Herschel Walker's Campaign Shows Why Third-Party Candidates Are Important
Republicans turned off by Walker at least have a third option, but for House races in Georgia, state law makes it extremely difficult for third-party candidates to get on the ballot.
Supreme Court To Hear 2 Cases About Social Media Moderation and Liability for Terrorism
Does Section 230 shield YouTube from lawsuits about recommendations? Can Twitter be forced to pay damages over the terrorists it hasn’t banned?
The U.S. Imprisoned a Civil Rights Leader on Bogus Charges in 1917. Will Biden Pardon Her Now?
A new petition seeks a posthumous pardon for Callie House.
New Zealand P.M. Jacinda Ardern Peddles Government Censorship to an International Audience
The world’s politicians offer a friendly reception to attacks on free speech.
Writing About People Who Don't Want to Be Written About
How, if at all, should we try to be nice in an inherently not-nice occupation?
Court Refuses to Order Me to Remove References to Frequent Litigant from Law Review Article
My argument: "Petitioner Jane Doe—a frequent unsuccessful litigant—is asking this Court to impose unconstitutional prior restraint to prevent a law professor from writing about important, publicly available cases about pseudonymity."
An Iowa Jury Awards $12 Million in Damages to a Man Who Was Wrongly Imprisoned for Sexual Abuse
A former guidance counselor served six years of a 25-year sentence thanks to a public defender's incompetence.
Guns Aren't a Public Health Issue
A deeply flawed documentary by the gray lady unwittingly makes the case for why the CDC shouldn't be studying gun violence.
Federal Judge Decides Safe Deposit Boxes Aren't Safe From FBI
Judge Gary Klausner admits that the FBI probably hid their true motives in rifling through the contents of hundreds of safe deposit boxes, but says that's fine.
The University of Idaho Tries To Force Faculty To Remain 'Neutral' on Abortion
The policy, released this week, places unconstitutional prohibitions on faculty speech.
Professor's Prior Restraint Lawsuit Against Collin College Can Go Forward
The professor, Joseph Michael Phillips, had spoken about Confederate memorials, race relations, a shooting, and masks.
YouTube Says Giorgia Meloni Video Was Removed in Error, Restores It After Inquiry
"Upon careful review, we determined this video is not violative of our Community Guidelines and have reinstated it," said a YouTube spokesperson.
A Parodist Asks SCOTUS To Let Him Sue the Cops Who Arrested Him for Making Fun of Them
The 6th Circuit ruled that qualified immunity prevented Anthony Novak from vindicating his First Amendment rights.
"One of the Side Effects of COVID-19 Is Litigation"; and in Litigation, as in Medicine, Delay Can Be Deadly
An appeal a day late (even if not a dollar short). [UPDATE: But there may be a lifesaving treatment!]
President Biden Lies About Guns. Again.
Amidst official hysteria over “misinformation,” the president continues to willfully misrepresent the facts on firearms.
The University of Idaho General Counsel's Letter on Abortion
Justice Scalia, to the rescue.
The University of Idaho General Counsel's Letter on Contraceptives
I think the letter's analysis as to contraceptives is inconsistent with the statutes, and with a binding Supreme Court precedent.
The Iranian Protests Were Not Made in the U.S.A.
The onerous sanctions regime carried out by the Trump and Biden administrations has done immeasurable harm in Iran.
Muslim Male Inmate Entitled to Religious Exemption from Strip Searches by Female-to-Male Transgender Guard
"[A] prisoner's right to be free from highly invasive intrusions on bodily privacy by prison employees of the opposite sex—whether on religious or privacy grounds—does not change based on a guard's transgender status."
