Archive for January, 2006

Journalists as witnesses

by   |  01.22.06  |  Current Events

Former New York Times reporter Judith Miller spent 85 days in jail for refusing to cooperate with a special investigator. Now that former White House aide Scooter Libby has been identified as her source and charged with lying to a grand jury, he plans to subpoena other reporters’ notes in his defense. More »

How protected is nudity?

by   |  01.22.06  |  Current Events

We talked a little about this in class last week, but a Florida judge has ruled Daytona Beach’s anti-nudity laws are unconstitutional. More »

Porn and Privacy

by   |  01.19.06  |  Current Events

Two years ago, the Supreme Court struck down the Child Online Protection Act because it limited adult access to pornography because children could access it, too. But it looks like the federal government is seeking to revive the law. More »

Sony Wins $6 Million Award Against PlayStation Infringer

by   |  01.18.06  |  Current Events

Cyberstalking or free expression?

by   |  01.18.06  |  Current Events

The Supreme Court has already ruled that anonymous speech retains First Amendment protections (Talley v. California). And the court has held the Internet maintains the highest level of protection, along with newspapers and books. More »

Yahoo in France

by   |  01.15.06  |  Current Events

The French and several other countries in Europe make it illegal to display Nazi symbols. Yahoo owes a French judgment for selling Nazi paraphernalia. An U.S. appeals court has dismissed Yahoo’s lawsuit arguing enforcement of it in the United States violates the First Amendment. More »

Incitement in England

by   |  01.12.06  |  Current Events

Britain does not have the same standard when it comes to incitement of violence. I’d imagine U.S. prosecutors would have a tougher time convicting Abu Hamza al Masri of incitement to violence.

A question of cults

by   |  01.10.06  |  Current Events

A Texas appeal court has held “cult” is not necessarily libelous. More »

Stern and the FCC

by   |  01.09.06  |  Current Events


Howard Stern has made the switch to Sirius Satellite Radio, leaving the restrictions of the Federal Communications Commission behind. The FCC can regulate broadcast content over airwaves, but not over satellite.

Back to it

by   |  01.08.06  |  Current Events

O.K. Christmas is over, classes start in a week and Samuel Alito’s Supreme Court nomination hearings start tomorrow. More »