Reporters’ rights roll call: Broad ‘friend of the court’ support pours in for citizen journalist Priscilla Villarreal

Texas officials arrested citizen journalist Priscilla Villarreal for exercising her core First Amendment right to ask government officials for information as part of her reporting.  

Fordham University: Policy Prohibiting RAs from Speaking with Media About ResLife-Related Issues

Santa Ana College: Requirement that Journalists Speak Only to Public Information Officer

Indiana University stifles student press by blocking access to public records

There’s no question that the list of public agencies across the country that — might we say — struggle to abide by public records laws is lengthy.

Indiana University: University Violates Public Records Laws with Massive Delays, Illegal Denials

Indiana University stifles the student press by unlawfully keeping student journalists from accessing public records.

Yale University: Campus-wide Policies and Practices Restrict Student Journalists’ Rights

Administrators across Yale’s campus impose restrictive policies and practices limiting student journalists’ freedom to report on campus activity.

FIRE asks Supreme Court to uphold First Amendment right to boycott 

Political boycotts are protected expression under the First Amendment, but a recent rash of laws bar government contractors from participating in boycotts of goods and services originating from Israel.

ARRESTED FOR JOURNALISM: Ohio newspaper editor hit with bogus ‘wiretapping’ charge and seizure of phone and laptop after publishing trial recording

Derek Myers leads a small newspaper, the Scioto Valley Guardian, serving southern Ohio.

Zabriskie v. ACLU of Michigan

A police officer sued the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan for defamation because it published a press release and public letter arguing that he may have engaged in illegal jury tampering. The ACLU of Michigan based that letter and press release on a court transcript — which are almost universally accurate — that had a typo in it. Unfortunately, that typo made it seem like the police officer may have engaged in jury tampering, which he didn’t.

Emporia State University: University Adopts Policy Stripping Tenure Protections Then Fires 33 Faculty Members

Emporia State adopted a policy allowing for broad discretion in firing tenured faculty, posing a serious threat to academic freedom, then immediately fired 33 faculty members, including one who publicly criticized the policy.