Media & Communications Law

Do we need to rethink how we handle classified leaks?

As the 50th anniversary of the Pentagon Papers case approached, First Amendment scholars Lee Bollinger and Geoffrey Stone knew they wanted to mark the occasion somehow.

Jul 7, 2021 9:00 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge rejects $2B Roundup settlement; Dershowitz pursues defamation suits

Judge rejects $2B settlement in Roundup litigation U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California has rejected a proposed $2 billion settlement of future claims in litigation alleging that Roundup weed killer causes cancer. Chhabria said the settlement would accomplish a lot for Monsanto, the maker of…

May 27, 2021 3:25 PM CDT

FCC approves plan to make some phone calls cheaper for inmates and their families

The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously Thursday to make phone calls more affordable for people in prisons or jails by approving a plan to reduce out-of-state call rates by at least one-third.

May 21, 2021 10:16 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

Google’s use of Java code was fair use, SCOTUS rules in Oracle copyright battle

Google did not violate copyright law when it copied a portion of Java programming language for use in its Android platform for smartphones, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday in a 6-2 decision.

Apr 5, 2021 11:34 AM CDT

Supreme Court rules for Facebook in dispute over texts; justices spar over ‘series-qualifier canon’

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled for Facebook on Thursday in a dispute over the reach of a law that restricts calls to cellphones made with an “automatic telephone dialing system.”

Apr 1, 2021 11:38 AM 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

Public defender with Patreon for FOIA lawsuits shares her thoughts on lawyers and social media

Lawyer Beth Bourdon is willing to go places where other attorneys may be hesitant, including this summer when she joined Parler—to see how long she could post potentially offensive materials without getting kicked off the conservative social media site.

Feb 22, 2021 8:33 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: State bar considers ousting Giuliani; pelt-wearing protester is judge’s son

State bar will consider Giuliani ouster The New York State Bar Association is considering whether to expel lawyer Rudy Giuliani from its voluntary membership rolls under a bylaw that prevents members from advocating the overthrow of government. Giuliani made baseless claims of widespread election fraud and suggested “trial by combat”…

Jan 11, 2021 4:24 PM CST

Second half of SCOTUS term may bring the temperature down compared to its feverish first

The U.S. Supreme Court justices may soon be able to settle in for some relative peace and quiet in the second half of their term. Decisions in several high-profile merits cases are being drafted and circulated.

Dec 28, 2020 9:57 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Suits accuse Facebook of ‘buy or bury’ approach; House bill makes PACER records free

State and FTC lawsuits accuse Facebook of stifling competition Facebook is accused of stifling competition in two lawsuits filed Wednesday. One suit was filed by the Federal Trade Commission, and the other was filed by attorneys general for 46 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. “Facebook targets competitors with…

Dec 9, 2020 3:50 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Jeffrey Toobin fired over Zoom exposure; lawyer alleges rape by cop in Breonna Taylor case

Jeffrey Toobin is fired after Zoom incident The New Yorker has fired legal journalist Jeffrey Toobin after he reportedly exposed himself on a Zoom call last month. Toobin has said he thought he was off camera, and he “made an embarrassingly stupid mistake.” Toobin is also taking some time off…

Nov 12, 2020 3:24 PM CST