Free Speech
Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida v. Raymond Rodrigues
The University of Florida chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine filed a lawsuit on November 16, 2023, challenging the Chancellor of the State University System of Florida’s order to state universities to deactivate the student group. This order threatens the students’ constitutionally-protected right to free speech and association in violation of the First Amendment. The ACLU and its partners are seeking a preliminary injunction that would bar the Chancellor and the University of Florida from deactivating the UF SJP.
Status: Ongoing
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U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2023
Free Speech
Molina v. Book
Whether police officers violated clearly established First Amendment rights when they tear-gassed plaintiffs for serving as legal observers in a public protest.
U.S. Supreme Court
Aug 2023
Free Speech
O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed
The ACLU, the ACLU of Northern California, and the ACLU of Southern California filed amicus briefs in support of everyday people fighting for government transparency and accountability in two cases set for review by the U.S. Supreme Court this Term: O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jan 2021
Free Speech
Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.
On September 25, 2017, the ACLU-PA filed suit on behalf of B.L., a high school sophomore who has been cheerleading since she was in fifth grade and was expelled from the team as punishment for out-of-school speech.
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159 Free Speech Cases
U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2020
Free Speech
United States v. Sineneng-Smith
Whether the First Amendment prohibits the government from making it a crime to “encourage or induce” a non-citizen to enter or reside in the United States unlawfully.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2020
Free Speech
United States v. Sineneng-Smith
Whether the First Amendment prohibits the government from making it a crime to “encourage or induce” a non-citizen to enter or reside in the United States unlawfully.
U.S. Supreme Court
Oct 2019
Free Speech
Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org
Whether, under the First Amendment, the government can copyright government materials that lack the force of law.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Oct 2019
Free Speech
Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org
Whether, under the First Amendment, the government can copyright government materials that lack the force of law.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2019
Free Speech
Iancu v. Brunetti
Whether the prohibition on the federal registration of “immoral” or “scandalous” trademarks violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2019
Free Speech
Iancu v. Brunetti
Whether the prohibition on the federal registration of “immoral” or “scandalous” trademarks violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2019
Free Speech
Rhines v. Young
Whether the Supreme Court should allow Petitioner Charles Russell Rhines the opportunity to establish that prejudice against him because of his sexual orientation factored into the jury’s decision to convict or impose a sentence of death.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2019
Free Speech
Rhines v. Young
Whether the Supreme Court should allow Petitioner Charles Russell Rhines the opportunity to establish that prejudice against him because of his sexual orientation factored into the jury’s decision to convict or impose a sentence of death.
Court Case
May 2019
Free Speech
+2 Issues
Sandvig v. Barr — Challenge to CFAA Prohibition on Uncovering Racial Discrimination Online
The ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which makes it a federal crime to access a computer in a manner that “exceeds authorized access.” This provision of the law often prohibits and chills academics, researchers, and journalists from testing for discrimination on the internet. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in June 2016. The plaintiffs are academic researchers, computer scientists, and journalists who wish to investigate companies’ online practices through standard academic and journalistic techniques, but are limited by the terms of service of target websites.
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Court Case
May 2019
Free Speech
+2 Issues
Sandvig v. Barr — Challenge to CFAA Prohibition on Uncovering Racial Discrimination Online
The ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which makes it a federal crime to access a computer in a manner that “exceeds authorized access.” This provision of the law often prohibits and chills academics, researchers, and journalists from testing for discrimination on the internet. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in June 2016. The plaintiffs are academic researchers, computer scientists, and journalists who wish to investigate companies’ online practices through standard academic and journalistic techniques, but are limited by the terms of service of target websites.