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Supreme Court won't hear news media appeal of gag order
In case stemming from New Jersey rabbi's murder trial, justices refuse to consider whether judges can block reporters from talking to jurors after a trial.  02.24.03

High court passes up kosher-laws case
Justices refuse, without comment, to consider reinstating New York statutes that set standards for labeling kosher food.  02.24.03

Juvenile records released in sniper case
Federal judge grants news media request to unseal documents, saying much of the information has already been made public in separate Virginia case against Lee Boyd Malvo.  02.24.03

Freelance journalist files motion to quash testimony
Michael Finkel is also trying to withhold correspondence, taped interviews with Oregon man accused of killing his family.  02.24.03

Kansas lawmakers narrowly reject religious-freedom bill
House comes two votes short of 63 needed to pass measure patterned after federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  02.22.03

Tennessee pagans claim daughter harassed at school
Parents say Union County school officials tried to have child participate in Christian activities, failed to protect her from physical, verbal abuse.  02.22.03

West Virginia science standards won't include evolution alternatives
State Board of Education refuses to insert intelligent design in guidelines despite lobbying by evolution foes.  02.21.03

College paper skirts alcohol-ad ban by reporting drink specials
Decision by The Pitt News to run list comes in wake of federal judge's ruling that state law doesn't infringe on freedom of expression.  02.21.03

Salutatorian's free-speech suit tossed by federal appeals panel
Court finds in California case that 'permitting a proselytizing speech at a public school's graduation ceremony would amount to coerced participation in a religious practice.'  02.21.03

Augusta, Ga., sets up new regulations for Masters protests
National Council of Women's Organizations, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition expect to demonstrate during all-male golf club's April tournament.  02.21.03

Federal appeals panel reluctantly rejects challenge to county gun-show ban
Judges easily dismiss free-speech claims but say they're only following a perhaps flawed precedent in setting aside Second Amendment arguments.  02.20.03

Court won't dismiss church sex-abuse lawsuits
State judge rejects Boston Archdiocese's argument that First Amendment gives church officials immunity from civil courts.  02.20.03

L.A. sheriff: Actor Robert Blake can do TV interview
In reversing his decision, Lee Baca said he didn't realize that camera crews had access to the jail, its celebrity inmates before he took office.  02.20.03

Kansas Senate won't budge on criminal-defamation law
Bill sponsor says he won't pursue issue further this year after Senate refuses to eliminate or weaken statute.  02.19.03

Group asks Las Cruces, N.M., to stop using cross logo
Americans United for Separation of Church and State says symbol featuring three crosses unconstitutionally endorses religion, but officials say logo reflects town's name, history.  02.19.03

Michigan school bans student's anti-Bush T-shirt
Dearborn schools spokesman: 'International Terrorist' shirt posed potential disruption at school where majority of students are Arab-American.  02.19.03

Tennessee sheriff fined for lying about public records
'No court can perform the functions society expects of it if contemptible conduct such as is present in this case is tolerated,' chancellor writes.  02.18.03

Student editors lose bid to halt future seizures of school newspaper
Federal judge finds request for preliminary injunction failed to provide evidence that Ohio district would again confiscate The Wooster Blade.  02.18.03

Spending bill would obscure gun records from public view
Meanwhile, Supreme Court is to hear arguments next month on how much information ATF should be required to release about firearm traces.  02.18.03

Idaho high court reverses ruling, upholds protection for news media
Unanimous decision in favor of the Statesman finds there is no invasion of privacy when information from open court records is published.  02.17.03

Group sues Iowa over religious prison program
Americans United for Separation of Church and State claims state funding for faith-based rehabilitation program is unconstitutional.  02.17.03

Montana billboard restrictions upheld
State high court finds ordinances don't go farther in restricting free speech than is necessary to achieve goals of reducing visual blight, traffic hazards.  02.17.03

U.S. expels Iraqi journalist
Mohammed Allawi of Iraqi News Agency called 'harmful' to U.S. security; Iraq expels Fox News in apparent retaliation.  02.17.03

Local leaders won't sponsor group's grant request after DJ's remark
Whitesburg, Ky., magistrate, veteran says he was offended by allegedly unpatriotic comment and urged colleagues not to endorse arts organization's $300,000 grant application.  02.15.03

Texas high court rejects plan to film jury deliberations
Justices rule 6-3 that 'Frontline' taping would violate 'ancient and centuries-old rule that jury deliberations should be private and confidential.'  02.14.03

Cable company plans to launch 24-hour news channel aimed at black viewers
Major Broadcasting Cable Network will fill public affairs void left by BET, says MBC president.  02.14.03

Defense Department keeps wraps on FOIA video
Freedom-of-information expert says it's 'hysterical' that Pentagon refuses to release training tape that instructs staff on how to handle FOIA requests.  02.14.03

Federal court may broaden NYPD's spying powers
Citing ever-changing 'nature of public peril' in terroristic times, judge may expand consent decree governing what police may do to investigate political activity.  02.14.03

House OKs national 'do-not-call' list
Meanwhile, Direct Marketing Association has filed suit against FTC on grounds the registry unlawfully restricts free speech.  02.14.03

Anti-war protesters again lose bid to hold march near U.N.
NYCLU executive director calls federal appeals panel's ruling 'an attack on the very values our country was built on and is supposed to be defending.'  02.13.03

Washington state phone privacy rules put on hold
In weighing company's free-speech rights against privacy interests 'the balance of hardships tips in Verizon's favor,' federal judge writes.  02.12.03

Cincinnati Arts Association, boycott group settle lawsuits
State judge had dismissed arts organization's lawsuit, upholding Coalition for a Just Cincinnati's free-speech argument.  02.12.03

S.C. high court: Jurors aren't required to swear oath to God
Justices rule unanimously that lower court was wrong to dismiss man who said he couldn't agree to the phrase 'so help you God.'  02.11.03

School superintendent arrested on charges of violating open-records law
Grand jury returns two-count indictment against Texas administrator, alleging he intentionally withheld public information from county official, reporter.  02.11.03

Federal judge blocks anti-war march near U.N.
Citing 'this time of heightened security,' court finds NYC's need to protect public outweighs protesters' rights to march.  02.11.03

Education Department releases new school-prayer guidelines
For first time, officials tie federal funding to compliance with policy; critic calls rules a partisan push for more school prayer.  02.10.03

Minnesota company sues ex-employees over Internet messages
Attorney for one defendant calls lawsuits the equivalent of 'going after a couple (of) mosquitoes with an elephant gun.'  02.10.03

Alabama governor: Public records to be released promptly on request
'This change in policy is also an attempt to comply with the spirit, as well as the letter,' of open-records laws, states memo to Cabinet members.  02.10.03

Student, school challenge Pennsylvania patriotism law
Statute permits students to opt out of pledge or national anthem on basis of religious conviction or personal belief, but their parents must be notified.  02.10.03

Federal appeals court reinstates lawsuit by vote-swapping Web sites
Judges say that failing to resolve dispute between Web site operators, California may result in 'chilling' plaintiffs' protected speech in next election.  02.08.03

Maine lawmaker proposes repeal of sales tax on U.S. flags
But bill would require flag-burners to return tax savings to the state, mandate that their names be published in newspapers.  02.07.03

Umbrella flap makes its way to federal court
Town tells restaurant owner he has too many 'Hebrew National Beef Franks' umbrellas outside his restaurant.  02.07.03

Michigan theology student sues after state cuts her aid
Attorney says law barring students with religion-related majors from receiving scholarship 'turns the First Amendment on its head and makes the state the enemy of religion.'  02.07.03

N.Y. bars former Islamic chaplain from state prisons for Sept. 11 remarks
Imam Warith Deen Umar disputes published newspaper report that led to his banishment.  02.07.03

Judge orders NYC to release Sept. 11 records
State court grants New York Times request for access to hundreds of documents, 911 tapes, but says city can keep some material secret.  02.06.03

State appeals court rules online libel suit was really SLAPP
Massachusetts law professor says case is first he's heard of in which an anti-SLAPP law has been used successfully to defend a Web posting.  02.06.03

Minneapolis mayor: Police need OK before talking to reporters
Police Department spokeswoman resigns after R.T. Rybak, former journalist who had pledged to throw open doors of City Hall, issues order.  02.06.03

Anti-war group sues NYC for refusing to allow protest march
Federal lawsuit accuses city of violating First Amendment by not granting permit for parade past United Nations.  02.05.03

Federal appeals panel: Virginia county wrong to muzzle officer's speech
4th Circuit upholds ruling by lower court that found county's gag order 'excessive' and unconstitutional.  02.05.03

Iowa newspaper, college settle open-meetings lawsuit
Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier claimed Hawkeye Community College board held illegal closed-door meetings that led to firing of college president.  02.05.03

Page last updated: 5/2/2013 3:39:55 AM