Free Speech

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U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2023
Molina v. Book

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.
Molina V. Book. Explore Case.
U.S. Supreme Court
Aug 2023
O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed

Free Speech

O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed

The ACLU, the Ƶof Northern California, and the Ƶof 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.
O’connor-ratcliff V. Garnier And Lindke V. Freed. Explore Case.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jan 2021
Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.

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.
Mahanoy Area School District V. B.l.. Explore Case.

All Cases

158 Free Speech Cases

Black girl runner crossing the red victory ribbon
Texas
Nov 2023

Free Speech

Women's Rights

Spring Branch ISD Advocacy – Dress Code Discrimination

On March 1, 2023, WRP and the Ƶof Texas sent an advocacy letter to Spring Branch Independent School District (“District”) on behalf of G.H., a Spring Woods High School student athlete. The ACLU’s investigation had revealed that the District maintained a discriminatory, sex-specific dress code and gender-based inequities in the school’s athletics program, and that the student was mistreated after objecting to these policies and practices. The advocacy letter raised concerns that the District’s actions reinforced invidious sex stereotypes, treated girl athletes as lesser than boy athletes, and potentially violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The District’s policies and actions harm all students, regardless of gender, but have particularly egregious consequences for Black girls and other girls of color.
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Spring Branch Isd Advocacy – Dress Code Discrimination. Explore Case.
Texas
Nov 2023
Black girl runner crossing the red victory ribbon

Free Speech

Women's Rights

Spring Branch ISD Advocacy – Dress Code Discrimination

On March 1, 2023, WRP and the Ƶof Texas sent an advocacy letter to Spring Branch Independent School District (“District”) on behalf of G.H., a Spring Woods High School student athlete. The ACLU’s investigation had revealed that the District maintained a discriminatory, sex-specific dress code and gender-based inequities in the school’s athletics program, and that the student was mistreated after objecting to these policies and practices. The advocacy letter raised concerns that the District’s actions reinforced invidious sex stereotypes, treated girl athletes as lesser than boy athletes, and potentially violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The District’s policies and actions harm all students, regardless of gender, but have particularly egregious consequences for Black girls and other girls of color.
Spring Branch Isd Advocacy – Dress Code Discrimination. Explore Case.
Cooley v. Foreman AKA Afroman
Ohio
Oct 2023

Free Speech

Cooley v. Foreman AKA Afroman

After a musician used footage of officers searching his home in music videos criticizing that search and the officers more broadly, they sued him for damages and asked the court to order him to stop speaking about them. The Ƶof Ohio and the Ƶfiled an amicus brief in support of the musician’s motion to dismiss the suit, arguing that the lawsuit sought to silence criticism in violation of the First Amendment.
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Cooley V. Foreman Aka Afroman. Explore Case.
Ohio
Oct 2023
Cooley v. Foreman AKA Afroman

Free Speech

Cooley v. Foreman AKA Afroman

After a musician used footage of officers searching his home in music videos criticizing that search and the officers more broadly, they sued him for damages and asked the court to order him to stop speaking about them. The Ƶof Ohio and the Ƶfiled an amicus brief in support of the musician’s motion to dismiss the suit, arguing that the lawsuit sought to silence criticism in violation of the First Amendment.
Cooley V. Foreman Aka Afroman. Explore Case.
United States v. Trump (Amicus Brief)
Court Case
Oct 2023

Free Speech

United States v. Trump (Amicus Brief)

The Ƶ& ACLU-DC submitted an amicus brief in United States v. Trump arguing that a gag order restricting court participants' speech must be precisely defined and narrowly tailored to prohibit imminent threats against individuals or conduct that would interfere with the impartial administration of justice.
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United States V. Trump (amicus Brief). Explore Case.
Court Case
Oct 2023
United States v. Trump (Amicus Brief)

Free Speech

United States v. Trump (Amicus Brief)

The Ƶ& ACLU-DC submitted an amicus brief in United States v. Trump arguing that a gag order restricting court participants' speech must be precisely defined and narrowly tailored to prohibit imminent threats against individuals or conduct that would interfere with the impartial administration of justice.
United States V. Trump (amicus Brief). Explore Case.
Alliance for Fair Board Recruitment v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Court Case
Oct 2023

Free Speech

Alliance for Fair Board Recruitment v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

This case concerns whether the SEC, by approving the board diversity rule of the private securities exchange Nasdaq, violated provisions of federal law or the Constitution. Because a self-regulated private actor’s rule does not constitute state action and the board diversity rule was well-supported, it did not.
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Alliance For Fair Board Recruitment V. U.s. Securities And Exchange Commission. Explore Case.
Court Case
Oct 2023
Alliance for Fair Board Recruitment v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Free Speech

Alliance for Fair Board Recruitment v. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

This case concerns whether the SEC, by approving the board diversity rule of the private securities exchange Nasdaq, violated provisions of federal law or the Constitution. Because a self-regulated private actor’s rule does not constitute state action and the board diversity rule was well-supported, it did not.
Alliance For Fair Board Recruitment V. U.s. Securities And Exchange Commission. Explore Case.
Free Speech Coalition v. Colmenero
Texas
Sep 2023

Free Speech

Free Speech Coalition v. Colmenero

Texas H.B. 1181, if allowed to go into effect, will impermissibly burden access to protected online speech by requiring users to verify their ages before accessing legal adult content online. The law will also unconstitutionally compel websites that carry lawful, fully protected sexual material to post “disclosure” statements reflecting Texas’s views about pornography.
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Free Speech Coalition V. Colmenero. Explore Case.
Texas
Sep 2023
Free Speech Coalition v. Colmenero

Free Speech

Free Speech Coalition v. Colmenero

Texas H.B. 1181, if allowed to go into effect, will impermissibly burden access to protected online speech by requiring users to verify their ages before accessing legal adult content online. The law will also unconstitutionally compel websites that carry lawful, fully protected sexual material to post “disclosure” statements reflecting Texas’s views about pornography.
Free Speech Coalition V. Colmenero. Explore Case.
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