Articles Posted in Free Speech

U.S. Supreme Court Remands Case to Eighth Circuit to Consider Whether Mandatory State Bar Association Fees Involve Compelled Association and Compelled Speech Updated: Published by:

On Monday, December 3, 2018, the United States Supreme Court vacated the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals's decision in Fleck v. Wetch, No. 16-1564 (8th Cir. 2017) and remanded the case to the 8th Circuit to decide whether mandatory state bar association fees translate to compelled association and compelled speech.

Federal Judge Rules White House Must Restore Press Credentials for CNN’s Jim Acosta Updated: Published by:

A federal district court judge in the District of Columbia today ruled that the White House must restore the press credentials of Jim Acosta, a CNN journalist. Acosta had reportedly engaged in a heated exchange with the president during a news conference last week over the president's regular disparagement of…

US Supreme Court to Decide Whether Private Entity Operating Public Access Channel Can Violate Individuals’ First Amendment Rights Updated: Published by:

The US Supreme Court last week agreed to hear a case in which two individuals sued a New York cable-TV public access channel for violating their First Amendment rights by banning them from the channel's services and facilities. In Manhattan Community Access Corp. v. Halleck, the two petitioners, Halleck and Melendez,…

9th Circuit Rules That Top Charitable Donors in California Must Disclose Information Updated: Published by:

Arguing for the charities' right of free association, a public interest law firm and a charitable group co-founded by the Koch brothers had challenged the disclosure of information, stating that the requirement chills donor contributions.

Lawsuit Claims Three Michael Jackson Songs on Posthumous Album are Fake Updated: Published by:

In 2014, Michael Jackson fan Vera Serova brought a class action lawsuit against Sony Music, the Jackson estate, and several songwriters/producers alleging that they created three fake songs recorded by a Michael Jackson impersonator to include on a 2010 posthumous album, Michael. The case moved forward last week in a…

California Appeals Court Confirms That Twitter Can Ban Users Promoting Hate Groups Updated: Published by:

A California appeals court has ruled in favor of Twitter in confirming that it is protected from liability by section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in deciding what content should be allowed on its platform. Jared Taylor, a publisher of white nationalist content, was permanently kicked off of Twitter…

Three-Judge Panel of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Texas College Campus Concealed Carry Law Updated: Published by:

On Thursday, August 16, 2018, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a Texas District Court's dismissal of a lawsuit brought by three University of Texas at Austin professors. Professors Jennifer Lynn Glass, Lisa Moore, and Mia Carter challenged a Texas law…

Colorado Cake Baker Sues Over Refusal to Bake Cake Celebrating Gender Transition Updated: Published by:

Colorado baker Jack Phillips, who won a decision before the U.S. Supreme Court in June, is suing again following his refusal to bake a cake to celebrate a gender transition. His refusal resulted in a probable cause finding by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission that he had violated Colorado’s public…

Federal Judge Blocks Publication of Blueprints for 3D Printed Guns Updated: Published by:

Today a federal judge in Seattle issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing a Texas man from publishing online the blueprints for making guns using a 3D printer. The attorneys general of eight states and the District of Columbia filed the lawsuit Monday in the US District Court for the…