Judge Blocks Tennessee House GOP Rule Banning Signs From Statehouse Galleries

A judge blocked a new rule banning signs in the galleries of the Tennessee House of Representatives, following a lawsuit filed on behalf of three women who were expelled for protesting during a special legislative session on gun legislation.

Civil Liberties Groups Petition Supreme Court to Unseal “Secret” Surveillance Court Rulings

Most court opinions are made publicly available under the First Amendment so that people can understand what the law is and have trust in the judicial process. That is not the case for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) which decides when government agencies can spy on suspected foreign agents, and can sometimes target American citizens as well.

Constituents Sue Texas Attorney General For Blocking Them on Twitter

Filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas Austin Division on April 8th, the complaint argues that because the Attorney General uses @KenPaxtonTX for “official purposes,” his account is a public forum and blocking users based on their viewpoint is a violation of the First Amendment.

Arizona Lawmakers Move Forward on Anti-Protest Bill

Arizona lawmakers are considering a bill, HB 2309, that would heighten the penalties for a number of charges associated with protests, and create a new charge for behavior deemed “violent or disorderly assembly.” 

ACLU Files Lawsuit On Behalf of Ohio Man Who Was Arrested For Recording Police

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio is suing the Columbus, Ohio police for arresting a 35-year old man while he was recording six officers serving a search warrant in his neighborhood. 

University of California, San Diego Reaches Settlement with Satirical Student Publication

The newspaper sued the university after the student government passed a bill excluding media student groups from accessing activity funds. The legislation was passed just days after the paper published a controversial article satirizing safe spaces.

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.

Oregon District Court Bars Federal Agents From Targeting Journalists

The judge extended a preliminary injunction prohibiting federal agents from "arresting, threatening to arrest, or using physical force" against journalists or legal observers. An attorney working with the ACLU on the case called the court's decision "a crucial victory for civil liberties and freedom of the press."