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2811 ABA Journal First Amendment articles.

A wave of lawsuits has resulted from online comments after Charlie Kirk’s assassination

The assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has led to a wave of lawsuits that reveal how Americans were investigated, fired, and in one case, arrested for their online reactions to his death, reports NPR.

Feb 13, 2026 9:09 AM CST

Federal prosecutor who resigned amid immigration crackdown joins journalist Don Lemon’s defense team

Independent journalist Don Lemon, one of nine people indicted for alleged involvement in the disruption of a Minnesota church service, has retained a former federal prosecutor who had previously worked on the case against him.

Feb 11, 2026 11:02 AM CST

Minnesota lawyer on Winter Olympics curling team speaks out about home state, constitution, rule of law

A Minnesota lawyer on the curling team for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics shared his thoughts about freedom of the press, the rule of law and events in his home state at a press conference in Italy this week.

Feb 10, 2026 10:26 AM CST

Plans for public religious charter school denied again in Oklahoma, for now

The battle to open a taxpayer-funded religious charter school continues in Oklahoma, where on Monday a school board rejected a proposal for the Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School.

Feb 10, 2026 9:57 AM CST

USC Gould Law students protest Homeland Security recruiters at virtual job fair

A virtual recruiting event hosted by the University of Southern California Gould School of Law will include representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, despite an open letter circulated by students protesting the inclusion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

Feb 4, 2026 1:33 PM CST

Homeland Security is targeting Americans with this secretive legal weapon

Though the U.S. government had been accused under previous administrations of overstepping laws and guidelines that restrict the subpoenas’ use, privacy and civil rights groups say that, under President Donald Trump, Homeland Security has weaponized the tool to strangle free speech.

Feb 4, 2026 8:53 AM CST

Policy on trans students’ pronouns didn’t violate teacher’s rights, court says

Montgomery County Public Schools did not violate the First Amendment rights of a Christian substitute teacher by requiring her to use transgender students’ pronouns in the classroom, according to a ruling by a federal appeals court.

Feb 2, 2026 1:52 PM CST

Rule of law, voting rights and free speech lead agenda at ABA 2026 Midyear Meeting

Legal professionals from across the nation will convene Feb. 4–9 in San Antonio for the American Bar Association 2026 Midyear Meeting, where attorneys, judges and legal scholars will examine pressing issues shaping the legal profession and the justice system, including protection of the rule of law, voting rights and free expression.

Jan 27, 2026 11:30 AM CST

Suspension upheld for former judge accused of pro-Democratic posts

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has upheld the suspension of a former Philadelphia judge for partisan posts on Facebook, according to PennLive.com. Former Philadelphia County Judge Mark Cohen was suspended in May 2024 after the Court of Judicial Discipline ruled his Facebook messages violated the Pennsylvania Judicial Canons, which generally are…

Jan 26, 2026 1:05 PM CST

Trump cabinet secretaries conspired to violate Constitution, judge says

A federal judge Thursday decried what he said were “breathtaking” constitutional violations by senior Trump administration officials and called the president an “authoritarian” who expects everyone in the executive branch to “toe the line absolutely.”

Jan 16, 2026 11:55 AM CST

Judges in this state aren’t required to perform same-sex marriages, top state court rules

Texas judges can decline to perform same-sex weddings because of their "sincerely held religious belief" and not be in violation of the rules on judicial impartiality, according to the Texas Supreme Court.

Jan 14, 2026 1:43 PM CST

Theater professor reinstated, awarded $500,000 after firing over Charlie Kirk comments on social media

A Tennessee theater professor who was fired after posting remarks about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was awarded $500,000 in a settlement with the university.

Jan 9, 2026 9:45 AM CST

ChatGPT creator must turn over 20M chat logs in copyright litigation, federal judge says

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, must turn over 20 million chat logs in its copyright litigation with the New York Times and other news media, a federal judge ruled Monday.

Jan 8, 2026 11:13 AM CST

Europe condemns U.S. move to bar individuals over tech monitoring

European political leaders and tech watchdogs pushed back sharply against what they called “an act of repression” after the State Department blocked five Europeans from entering the United States for allegedly censoring digital free speech.

Dec 24, 2025 11:45 AM CST

Retired prosecutor files lawsuit against New York City over Skadden Arps protest

A retired prosecutor filed a lawsuit last week in federal court against New York City and Brookfield Properties alleging that he was wrongfully arrested while protesting in a public space against Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Dec 22, 2025 11:12 AM CST

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