First Amendment News

Recent ruling shows Hazelwood limiting teacher speech

A January 22 ruling in federal district court in New York shows that Hazelwood can limit teacher’s speech as well as student’s. The court ruled that a teacher could not wear a political campaign button. -db First Amendment Center Commentary January 30, 2010 By David L. Hudson Jr. When First Amendment advocates hear the name Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, they naturally think of student-press rights or, more accurately, a diminution of student-press rights. But

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Best-selling author wins libel case

A federal judge in Oklahoma dismissed libel claims against author John Grisham and other writers who wrote books about the wrongful convictions of two men in a 1982 rape and murder of a cocktail waitress. The judge said the books were protected speech. -db Courthouse News Service February 2, 2010 By Annie Youderian (CN) – Three public officials from Oklahoma lost their bid to revive a libel lawsuit against best-selling author John Grisham and other

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Some say ‘Citizens United’ opinion may lead to ban on judicial elections

With a flood of money expected in judicial elections after the Supreme Court decision unleashing corporate money in political campaigns, some reformers are suggesting that the public will react adversely to that trend and abolish judicial elections. -db The National Law Journal February 01, 2010 By Tony Mauro For years now, judicial reform groups have more or less resigned themselves to the reality that the public likes to elect its state judges and will fight

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Federal court throws out part of Houston’s law on parades, strikes and rallies

The 5th Circuit upheld much of Houston’s laws on protest activity but threw out some restrictions including the restriction on the number of permits per location and the limit for parades to two one-hour periods per week on weekdays. The district court had already thrown out the requirement for additional security and the 10 day notice for obtaining parade permits. -db Courthouse News Service February 2, 2010 (CN) – The 5th Circuit struck down portions

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Massachusetts Supreme Court rules that the state’s anti-SLAPP law does not protect journalists

An ACLU lawyer argues that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court erred in ruling that journalists are not protected by the state’s anti-SLAPP law owing to their role in reporting objectively.  The ruling ignores the role of the reporter in petitioning on behalf of the community. -db Media Nation Opinion February 1, 2010 By Sarah Wunsch Despite our amicus brief urging otherwise, the SJC has affirmed Judge Hines’s Superior Court denial of the special motion to

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