First Amendment

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In Counterman v. Colorado, 143 S.Ct. 2106, 2113–14, 600 U.S. 66 (U.S. 2023), the U.S. Supreme Court discussed the “true threat” exception to First Amendment free speech protection – specifically, the mental state that the state must demonstrate that the defendant had. The Court summarized the black-letter law as follows: From 1791 to the present,”…

Read More U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Mental State Required for “True Threat” First Amendment Exception
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In 303 Creative LLC, et al v. Aubrey Elenis, et al, 2023 WL 4277208 (U.S. June 30, 2023), the U.S. Supreme Court upheld (6-3) a challenge by a wedding website designer (Lorie Smith) to the (prospective) enforcement of Colorado’s public accommodation discrimination law, as doing so would violate the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause. Justice…

Read More SCOTUS: First Amendment Prohibits Colorado From Forcing a Wedding Website Designer to Create Websites For Same-Sex Couples
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In Reynolds v. The City of New York, 22-CV-1910 (VEC), 2022 WL 17792394 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 19, 2022), the court, inter alia, granted defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s First Amendment retaliation claim. From the decision: The sole cause of action in Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint alleges that the City violated 42 U.S.C. § 1983 by retaliating against…

Read More First Amendment Retaliation Claim Dismissed; Complaints About Alleged Improper Workplace Conduct Did Not Amount to Speaking as a Citizen on a Matter of Public Concern
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In Brock v. Zuckerberg et al, No. 20-cv-7513, 2021 WL 2650070 (S.D.N.Y. 2021) (Liman, J.), the court dismissed plaintiff’s claims asserting that defendants Facebook, Inc. (as well as Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, among others) violated his constitutional rights to free speech and due process by allegedly removing and blocking his Facebook posts. This decision is…

Read More Court Rejects First Amendment Claim Against Facebook et al
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While I typically write about new developments in the law, every so often I come across a court decision that, while older, is interesting enough to warrant discussion here. One such case is Iannone v. Frederic R. Harris, Inc., 941 F.Supp. 403 (S.D.N.Y. 1996). In sum, the plaintiff here was terminated, she alleges, in retaliation…

Read More Retaliation Claim, Arising From Expressed Concerns About “Racy” Photo, Survives Dismissal
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On June 23, 2021 the U.S. Supreme Court, in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., No. 20-255, 594 U.S. __(2021), affirmed (8-1) a Third Circuit decision that a school’s subjecting a cheerleader to disciplinary action for an off-campus vulgar “Snapchat” post violated her First Amendment rights. Justice Breyer delivered the majority opinion, in which Justices…

Read More SCOTUS Rules in Favor of Snapchat Cheerleader’s First Amendment Rights
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In Murray v. Williamsville Central School District, 2021 WL 1610201 (WDNY April 26, 2021), the court, inter alia, dismissed various constitutional claims asserted by plaintiff – a middle school teacher – who alleges that his employer (the defendant school district) deprived him of his liberty interest in his reputation and free speech rights after he…

Read More Court Dismisses Teacher’s Section 1983 & 1st and 14th Amendment Claims Arising From Alleged Showing of Pornographic Film to Students
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In Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, New York v. Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of New York, 592 U.S. ___, 2020 WL 6948354 (U.S. Nov. 25, 2020), the U.S. Supreme Court granted an emergency application for injunctive relief, enjoining Governor Cuomo from enforcing New York Executive Order 202.68‘s 10- and 25-person occupancy limits applicable to houses…

Read More SCOTUS Enjoins Governor Cuomo’s COVID Restrictions on Houses of Worship
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In Geller v. de Blasio et al, 2020 WL 2520711 (S.D.N.Y. May 18, 2020), the court denied plaintiff’s motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to enjoin the City of New York from enforcing an Executive Order of March 25, 2020 and its restriction on non-essential gatherings. This decision provides a primer of how…

Read More Court Rejects First Amendment Challenge to NYC Executive Order Restricting Non-Essential Gatherings
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