First Amendment

Afternoon Briefs: $75M verdict for exonerated half brothers; surprise at high-profile lawyer’s disbarment

Jurors award $75M to exonerated half brothers Jurors in Raleigh, North Carolina, awarded $75 million Friday to two half brothers exonerated in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl after DNA evidence pointed to a convicted murderer as the perpetrator. The brothers, Henry McCollum and Leon Brown, had spent…

May 17, 2021 3:12 PM CDT

Citing First Amendment, 4th Circuit reverses conviction for retired Air Force officer’s use of N-word

A federal appeals court has reversed the conviction of a white retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who used the N-word while complaining about a Black store employee who asked whether he needed any help.

May 12, 2021 10:33 AM CDT

If not removed, rock with Confederate flag should be factored into custody dispute, appeals court says

A mother in New York risks losing shared custody of her mixed-race child as a result of a small Confederate flag painted on a rock near her driveway.

May 11, 2021 2:36 PM CDT

Justice Barrett has aligned most often in argued cases with these 2 SCOTUS justices

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the U.S. Supreme Court’s newest justice, has aligned 100% of the time in argued cases with conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil M. Gorsuch, according to an analysis by CNN reporter Joan Biskupic.

May 6, 2021 12:00 PM CDT

Does First Amendment bar public bodies from censuring members for critical speech? Supreme Court will decide

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday accepted a First Amendment case involving a college trustee who was censured after criticizing board actions and filing multiple lawsuits against the body.

Apr 26, 2021 12:35 PM CDT

Can California ban state-funded travel to LGBTQ-discriminating states? 2 SCOTUS justices dissent to cert denial

The U.S. Supreme Court won’t hear a suit challenging California’s ban on state-funded travel to states that fail to ban LGBTQ discrimination.

Apr 26, 2021 11:26 AM CDT

SCOTUS case on disclosure of nonprofit donor names raises First Amendment questions

To some observers, the case may affect campaign-disclosure laws and the court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which authorized unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations (including nonprofit ones) and unions.

Apr 22, 2021 11:58 AM CDT

3 Democratic lawmakers call on Barrett to recuse herself in donor disclosure case

Three Democratic lawmakers are asking U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett to recuse herself in a First Amendment dispute because a group related to a plaintiff launched a seven-figure ad campaign in support of Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation.

Apr 22, 2021 9:48 AM CDT

How Florida’s new anti-riot law could run afoul of the First Amendment

Legal experts see First Amendment problems with Florida’s new anti-riot bill, signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.

Apr 21, 2021 12:13 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Chauvin found guilty in George Floyd’s death; why red flag law wasn’t used against FedEx gunman

Chauvin is found guilty of all charges in George Floyd’s death Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of all charges in the 2020 death of George Floyd. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin, who is white, was convicted for…

Apr 20, 2021 4:29 PM CDT

Threats of sham lawsuit against well-known singer constitute a crime, 9th Circuit says

Threats of baseless litigation can amount to extortion under the Hobbs Act, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco ruled Tuesday.

Apr 16, 2021 11:56 AM CDT

Suit says disciplinary counsel was wrongly fired for pro-Trump tweets about Muslims

A former disciplinary counsel in Tennessee says he was fired for the content of political tweets, rather than his conduct in the job.

Apr 7, 2021 11:31 AM CDT

Supreme Court’s most pro-religion justices since WWII sit on the current court, new study says

The U.S. Supreme Court has supported religion in 81.3% of the religious cases under the leadership of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., a big jump from prior years.

Apr 6, 2021 9:33 AM CDT

Can Congress stop Twitter from blocking users? Thomas considers idea as Supreme Court vacates Trump decision

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas considered ways that Congress could regulate Twitter and other digital platforms in a concurrence Monday to the high court’s decision to vacate a decision involving former President Donald Trump.

Apr 5, 2021 1:00 PM CDT

Chemerinsky: SCOTUS weighs whether freedom of speech applies to students off campus using social media

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear its last oral arguments of the term in April, and it will finish with a First Amendment case of potential great importance. Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. involves whether a student can be punished for speech on social media over the weekend.

Apr 1, 2021 9:07 AM CDT