SUPREME COURT WATCH: FREE PRESS FOCUS
For decades, the Supreme Court’s decisions have both extended and restricted free press protections through the interpretation of the First Amendment in cases that have come before it. The Court continues to hear such cases to this day. The News/Media Alliance monitors these cases and participates in amicus briefs where appropriate, in an effort to protect the rights of news and magazine media.
We’ve provided summaries of each of the major Supreme Court decisions from the 2022-2023 term that implicate the free press. To discover how these rulings could impact the work of journalists and their protections afforded under the First Amendment, click “Read More” below.
Research for the 2022-2023 Supreme Court term compiled by Kayla Singer.
Latest Rulings
Moody v. NetChoice, LLC
The Court considered whether the Florida and Texas state laws regulating large internet platforms violated the First Amendment. In a 9-0 decision the judgments of the Eleventh and Fifth Circuit are vacated and remanded. Decided on July 1, 2024 ... Read More
Supreme Court Remands Cases; Sidesteps First Amendment Question in Texas and Florida Social Media Laws Case
On July 1st, the Supreme Court vacated the lower court rulings in the cases of Moody v. Paxton and NetChoice v. Paxton over challenges brought by NetChoice to the Florida and Texas laws governing social media content moderation ... Read More
Celebrating 60 Years of Free Speech Thanks to This One Pivotal Supreme Court Case
This month, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of one of the most important Supreme Court cases – New York Times v. Sullivan – that significantly shaped free speech protections for the press and the public at large ... Read More
Supreme Court Declines to Revisit NYT v. Sullivan, though Justice Thomas Wants to Revisit it in Future
On October 10th, the Supreme Court declined to revisit the landmark First Amendment decision in New York Times v. Sullivan, which provides vital First Amendment protections to journalists and the public ... Read More
303 Creative LLC v. Elenis
The Court navigates between free speech and Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act. The Supreme Court rules that Colorado cannot force a website designer to create designs against her beliefs. Decided on June 30, 2023 ... Read More
Counterman v. Colorado
The Supreme Court strengthens protections for journalists against charges of threat. For a threat prosecution, the government must prove that the speaker was intentionally reckless with their words. Decided on June 27, 2023 ... Read More
