First Amendment

Supreme Court to consider whether NRA can sue official for ‘pressure tactics’ against banks, insurers

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether the National Rifle Association can sue a New York official for allegedly violating the First Amendment by pressuring banks and insurers to cut ties with the advocacy group.

Nov 6, 2023 11:15 AM CST

Evidentiary hearing begins in suit to block Trump from Colorado ballot under 14th Amendment

A weeklong evidentiary hearing begins Monday in Denver to determine whether former President Donald Trump should be banned from the ballot in Colorado for engaging in insurrection.

Oct 30, 2023 10:42 AM CDT

Finding Trump’s explanation ‘not credible,’ judge fines him $10K for second gag order violation

The judge presiding in former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial fined him $10,000 on Wednesday for a second violation of a gag order banning remarks about court staff members.

Oct 25, 2023 3:37 PM CDT

Did US violate First Amendment by pressuring social media? Supreme Court will decide

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday to consider whether the U.S. government unconstitutionally pressured social media companies to curb COVID-19 misinformation and other content.

Oct 24, 2023 9:00 AM CDT

As 1 judge temporarily lifts Trump gag order, another says he’s ‘way beyond’ warning stage

Former President Donald Trump had one temporary win and one loss last week as judges considered gag orders that they had imposed.

Oct 23, 2023 1:09 PM CDT

Prisons are restricting books in the name of combating drug smuggling

A book is not always just a book. Volunteers who mail books to people in prison said they see proof of that in the requests they get every day. A sign language dictionary for a man whose child was losing their hearing meant connection to family. Books for a woman taking a course behind bars was her path to a degree. A Buddhist workbook was comfort for a man on death row.

Oct 20, 2023 9:02 AM CDT

SCOTUS will hear ‘backdoor censorship’ case of council member arrested for placing document in binder

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider what kind of evidence is needed to defeat a qualified immunity claim by government officials accused of engineering the retaliatory arrest of a new city council member who criticized the city manager.

Oct 16, 2023 3:40 PM CDT

Tennessee can continue ban on absentee ballot distribution, 6th Circuit says

A split federal appeals court last week rejected a free speech challenge to a Tennessee law that limits the distribution of absentee ballot applications.

Oct 11, 2023 8:46 AM CDT

Racist remarks about Obamas didn’t constitute workplace harassment, appeals court rules

A Black nurse who heard her white co-workers make racist statements about the Obamas and about their patients did not establish a hostile-work-environment claim, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Oct 10, 2023 10:13 AM CDT

Lawyer’s social media posts about shooting protesters are protected by First Amendment, bar court judge rules

A lawyer’s social media posts calling for the shooting of Black Lives Matter protesters were "unbecoming of an attorney," but they were protected by the First Amendment, a California bar court judge has ruled.

Oct 4, 2023 12:46 PM CDT

Justices drop ‘respectfully’ in some dissents, but SCOTUS rancor is tamer than in past

The usual phrase used by U.S. Supreme Court dissenters is “I respectfully dissent.” But some justices dropped “respectfully” in major dissents last term and in their joint dissent in the 2022 Supreme Court decision overturning the right to abortion.

Oct 3, 2023 12:06 PM CDT

Supreme Court to consider laws that block social media from removing certain content and users

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide the constitutionality of laws in Florida and Texas that prevent large social media companies from banning political candidates or restricting content based on viewpoint.

Sep 29, 2023 2:00 PM CDT

Lawyers avoid mandatory religious liberty instruction, for now

Lawyers for Southwest Airlines didn’t have to attend religious liberty training Tuesday as a result of a temporary administrative stay granted by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans.

Sep 26, 2023 3:50 PM CDT

School must recognize Christian student club with anti-same-sex-marriage affirmation, en banc appeals court says

An en banc federal appeals court has ordered a California school district to reinstate a Fellowship of Christian Athletes club that was not recognized because of its required anti-same-sex-marriage affirmation for student leaders.

Sep 18, 2023 8:19 AM CDT

22% of Americans think First Amendment protects gun rights, says poll released before Constitution Day

Seventy-seven percent of surveyed Americans were able to recall that the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, but less than half were able to name other rights protected by that amendment.

Sep 15, 2023 11:20 AM CDT