Virginia Lieutenant Governor Candidate Files Defamation Lawsuit Concerning Anonymous Text Message
On May 4th, a candidate seeking the Republican nomination for Virginia Lieutenant Governor filed a defamation lawsuit against “Jane Doe,” after an anonymous text message was sent to convention delegates calling him a “gay Democrat.”
Wisconsin Public Schools Can Prohibit Students From Wearing Shirts with Guns, Judge Rules
A federal court ruled that two Wisconsin public schools that banned students from wearing clothing with depictions of firearms did not violate students' First Amendment rights. The decision to side with the school came as an unpleasant surprise to free speech scholars who thought the schools’ dress code policies were overly restrictive.
Akhil Reed Amar: “The Words that Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840”
In his newest book, The Words that Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation 1760-1840, Yale law professor and constitutional historian Akhil Reed Amar tells the story of the first 80 years of democratic debate in the United States. This excerpt focuses on the origins of America’s newspaper culture and the central role it played in forming our democracy.
Sixth Circuit Moots Memphis Journalist’s First Amendment Case
On April 30th, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a lower court’s determination of mootness concerning a local journalist’s claims against the city of Memphis.
Can a Public Body Censure Its Members Without Raising First Amendment Concerns?
A public body censures one of its members who had been criticizing the body, filing lawsuits against the body, and accusing the body of not complying with state law. The public body then censures the member. The member claims that the censure was a retaliatory act against his critical speech. This scenario forms the basis of the case, Houston Community College System v. Wilson, that the Supreme Court will review this term.
Project Veritas Sues CNN for Defamation
Project Veritas, a conservative organization known for surreptitiously recording its subjects, filed a defamation lawsuit against CNN on April 26th. The lawsuit alleges that news anchor Ana Cabrera defamed the company during a broadcast on February 15th. Project Veritas claims Cabrera falsely suggested on air that the organization’s Twitter account was suspended for “promoting misinformation.”
The publisher’s actions highlight an unresolved tension between the desire to hold bad actors accountable and the possibility of depriving the public of valuable literary and artistic ideas. While some have expressed concerns about W.W. Norton's decision to stop printing and distributing a widely praised biography, others see it as a step towards a future where powerful people are held accountable for their behavior.
Justices Question Whether Student’s Snapchat Rant Caused a Substantial Disruption
In oral arguments on April 28th in a case involving a former high school student kicked off her cheerleading squad for a profane social media post, the Court explored whether school officials could discipline the student under the Supreme Court’s decision in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969).