ICYMI: First Amendment Stories That Broke Over the 2020 Holidays

A federal judge in Virginia dismissed one of Rep. Devin Nunes' (R-CA) defamation suits against The Washington Post, the Federal Aviation Agency released long-awaited drone guidelines, a British judge rejected the U.S. government's request to extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, and more.

UK Judge Refuses to Extradite Julian Assange to the U.S. to Face Espionage Charges

A British judge refused the United State’s request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after finding there was a “substantial” risk that he would harm himself. “I am satisfied that, in these harsh conditions, Mr. Assange’s mental health would deteriorate, causing him to commit suicide with the single-minded determination of his autism spectrum disorder,” District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said in a ruling released on January 4th.

Massachusetts Wiretap Law Can’t Apply to Police Recording, First Circuit Rules

On December 15th, the United States Appeals Court for the First Circuit unanimously ruled that a Massachusetts wiretap statute could not be used against individuals who recorded police officers in public, even if the officer had not consented to the recording. The state has long fought to preserve the statute that broadly protects people from being recorded without their consent

Press Groups’ Challenge to Texas Drone Law Can Move Forward

The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), the Texas Press Association (TPA), and an independent journalist can move forward with their First Amendment challenge to a Texas law that restricts the use of drones.

Courthouse News Asks Court to Unseal Documents Related to Sen. Purdue’s Business Dealings

In both his 2014 race and current reelection efforts, Purdue has leveraged his experience as a successful business leader of Reebok and Dollar General to win voters’ confidence. Courthouse News reporter Daniel Jackson says he has found information that may paint a more complicated picture of the Senator’s track record.

Supreme Court Considers Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Law

On November 30th, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Van Buren vs. United States, a case that could have huge implications for data journalists and cybersecurity researchers. At the heart of the case is the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, a federal law that press advocates say is too broadly written and can be used to punish journalists for using common newsgathering techniques.

First Amendment Coalition Pushes Court to Keep Public Access to Criminal Case

The defense counsel in a high-profile criminal case in California asked a court in August to close the pretrial hearings from the public and media. Now, a First Amendment advocacy group is pushing back, arguing that there are ways to ensure a fair trial without compromising public access.

Ninth Circuit Lifts Injunction Exempting Journalists and Legal Observers from Dispersal Orders

In a 2-1 decision, the Ninth Circuit wrote that the lower court’s restraining order was too broad because it failed to specify who qualified as a journalist or legal observer. In previous hearings, the federal government had argued that differentiating between journalists and protesters was especially difficult given that some protesters wear press insignia to avoid the police’s crowd control tactics.