Free Speech Advocates Concerned Over Revenge Pornography Bill In Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s Governor Gina Raimondo signed a revenge pornography bill into law despite concerns and a request for a veto from free press and speech advocates. Although the governor originally […]
Notable Legal Ruling For Buzzfeed in Dossier Defense
A judge ruled that Buzzfeed may have legal protection for its decision to publish the “dossier” and a brief accompanying article in January 2017, and could claim fair reporting privilege. […]
Parents of Paul Tatum, a teenager who committed suicide, sued now retired columnist Steve Blow at The Dallas Morning News for libel in regards to a piece he wrote in 2010 about their son's death. The court however decided the column was protected by the First Amendment as it was an opinion piece and therefore protected speech. "The publication of Blow's column may have run afoul of certain journalistic, ethical, and other standards. But the standards governing the law of defamation are not among them," wrote Justice Jeff Brown, a former Texas Supreme Court chief justice who handled the case in the Supreme Court.
American University Student Sues Neo-Nazi Site, Daily Stormer
American University student Taylor Dumpson is bringing one of the first event student activist lawsuits against alt-right and online trolls, according to The Chronicle for Higher Education. In her suit, Dumpson […]
Former US Senate candidate Roy Moore Files Defamation Suit Against Female Accusers
In an escalation of defamation lawsuits brought by and against Roy Moore for alleged sexual misconduct, the latest volley is from the former US Senate candidate. In the Circuit Court […]
President Trump’s Plans for Libel Laws
President Trump and his team want to ‘open up’ libel laws. The goal: to make it easier to sue media organizations for unfavorable coverage. But there is little that the President can actually do to change the libel laws. There is no federal law on libel. State laws control libel, and all such laws are subject to stringent First Amendment protections for the press and other speakers that the Supreme Court has imposed through cases such as the landmark New York Times v. Sullivan decision in 1964. However, threats to loosen the libel laws is noteworthy as part of a larger effort to criticize the press and attack its credibility.
Judge Rules Defamation Suit Brought By An Ex-Apprentice Against President Trump Is A Go
The State Court of Appeals refused Trump’s appeal to delay a defamation suit until after his presidency because the lower court has yet to issue a final determination on the […]
Former Met Music Director James Levine Sues For Defamation
After an artistic collaboration spanning four decades, conductor James Levine was fired by the Metropolitan Opera, Monday, March 12th, after an “investigation uncovered credible evidence that Mr. Levine had engaged […]