San Francisco State University: Speech Codes Litigation
Case Materials
- "Victory over Unconstitutional Speech Codes: San Francisco State University Settles Lawsuit with College Republicans in Favor of Free Speech," FIRE Press Release, March 4, 2008: Yesterday, San Francisco State University settled a lawsuit challenging its speech codes by agreeing to modify several unconstitutional policies to make them consistent with the First Amendment. The settlement also requires SFSU to pay damages to members of the university's College Republicans as well as to pay the College Republicans' attorney fees. The lawsuit—part of FIRE's Speech Codes Litigation Project—was filed in July 2007 by attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund.
- "Settlement Agreement between San Francisco State University and the College Republicans, March 3, 2008," March 3, 2008
- "Preliminary Injunction from the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, November 19, 2007," November 19, 2007
- "Court Order for San Francisco State University, November 19, 2007," November 19, 2007
- "Federal Court Orders San Francisco State University, California State University System Not to Enforce Unconstitutional Speech Codes," FIRE Press Release, November 8, 2007: In a crucial victory for free speech, a federal judge has ordered San Francisco State University (SFSU) and the California State University (CSU) System to stop enforcing several unconstitutional speech codes. The codes were challenged in a lawsuit filed by attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund in cooperation with FIRE. The lawsuit came after the SFSU College Republicans were put on trial by a campus tribunal for stepping on makeshift Hamas and Hezbollah flags as part of an anti-terrorism rally they held in October 2006. The plaintiffs asked the court to hold SFSU accountable for unlawfully mistreating them on the basis of their constitutionally protected expression and to strike down several unconstitutional speech codes at SFSU and in the CSU System.
- "Hearing Transcript of College Republicans at San Francisco State University, et al. v. Charles B. Reed, et al.," November 8, 2007
- "Students Sue San Francisco State University over Unconstitutional Speech Codes," FIRE Press Release, July 9, 2007: San Francisco State University (SFSU) is the latest target of FIRE’s highly successful Speech Codes Litigation Project. In cooperation with FIRE, attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund filed a federal lawsuit against SFSU for violating the First Amendment rights of its students. Earlier this year, SFSU put its College Republicans on trial before a campus tribunal for stepping on makeshift Hamas and Hezbollah flags during an anti-terrorism rally. In addition to holding SFSU accountable for unlawfully mistreating these students for engaging in constitutionally protected expression, the lawsuit asks the court to strike down several unconstitutional speech codes at SFSU. Beginning today, SFSU will have to answer for its actions in court.
- "Complaint Filed in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California Against San Francisco State University," July 9, 2007
- "SFSU’s Speech Codes Named in Complaint," July 6, 2007
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