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First Amendment News

Federal judge breaks seal on court records in Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case

donal brown October 27, 2009

Minneapolis St. Paul Star Tribune October 26, 2009 By Jennifer Dobner, Associated Press A federal judge ordered most court records in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case in Salt Lake City released for public scrutiny. The judge cited concerns about a fair trial in keeping some records sealed including competency reports on the kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell.  A number of  news organizations including the Deseret News and the Salt Lake Tribune has asked the court to release the

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Parents ask court to block two plays at Nevada high school

donal brown October 27, 2009

A group of parents in a Las Vegas suburb are asking a county court to block “Rent” and “The Laramie Project” from opening November 16. They claim the plays portray gay characters and are not suitable for high school students. -DB Courthouse News Service October 26, 2009 By Nick Divito LAS VEGAS (CN) – A group of parents seek to stop a high school in the Las Vegas suburb or Henderson from mounting two plays,

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Politicians using social media encounter legal obstacles

donal brown October 26, 2009

As politicians begin using Twitter, etc. to campaign, gain support for legislation and fundraise, they sometimes find themselves up against state and federal law. A Citizen Media Law Project staff attorney says that it is important that the rules be amended regularly to take into account changes in the social media and to avoid stifling free expression. -DB Citizen Media Law Project Commentary October 26, 2009 By Eric P. Robinson As social media become more popular, it

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Federal judge orders Prop. 8 backers to cough up campaign strategy documents without delay

donal brown October 26, 2009

Backers of proposition 8 were hoping to delay turning over campaign records while appealing  a court order to surrender the documents. But a district federal judge ordered them to relinquish the documents so that Prop. 8 opponents could examine them for anti gay bias. -DB San Francisco Chronicle October 26, 2009 Bob Egelko SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge said sponsors of California’s ban on same-sex marriage may not delay in handing over campaign strategy documents

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Government orders decade-high number of secrecy orders for new patents

donal brown October 22, 2009

The U.S. government has ordered 5,081 invention secrecy orders so far this year, according to stats released by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under a Freedom of Information Act request by Secrecy News. -DB Secrecy News Federation of American Scientists October 22, 2009 By Steven Aftergood The total number of invention secrecy orders that the U.S. government imposed on patent applications rose again this year, reaching 5,081 by the end of last month, the

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