Articles Posted in Free Speech

On Monday, November 21, 2022, the United States Supreme Court granted a petition for a writ of certiorari in Jack Daniel's Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC. The lawsuit seeks to clarify whether VIP's Jack Daniel's themed dog-toys are protected from trademark infringement claims due to VIP's First Amendment interest in using Jack Daniel's trademarks on the toys.

The Onion has filed a Supreme Court brief in support of a man arrested and prosecuted for making fun of a police department on social media, arguing that parodists should not be obligated to "pop the balloon in advance."

On Monday, May 23, 2022, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of social media companies that moderate content on their platforms because "the government can't tell a private person or entity what to say or how to say it."

The First Amendment provides certain protections for freedom of speech and association to which government employees may be entitled despite the nature of their jobs.

On Friday, January 14, 2022, the United States Supreme Court granted a high school football coach's petition for a writ of certiorari. The court will hear the coach's case concerning postgame midfield prayers with players and coaches.

Two internet trade organizations have challenged a Texas law regulating social media companies’ ability to remove users from their platforms. The law, House Bill 20, was signed by Governor Greg Abbott earlier this month.

The United States Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of protecting public school students' free speech rights on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. The ruling expounds upon Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, bringing student free speech jurisprudence into the internet era. "[S]ometimes it is necessary to protect the superfluous in order to preserve the necessary."

On Wednesday, the Facebook Oversight Board upheld former President Donald Trump’s January suspension from the platform, citing his creation of “an environment where a serious risk of violence was possible.”

The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments today, April 28, 2021, in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. At issue in the case is whether the precedential case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, applies to student speech that occurs off-campus.

The second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump began this week in the Senate with Trump’s lawyers arguing in part that the former President’s statements are protected under the First Amendment as free speech.