Constitution Daily Blog

First Amendment

Justice Anthony Kennedy’s new constitutional dilemma

by Lyle Denniston

Over the years, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy has become the Supreme Court’s most energetic defender of gay rights, one of its true…

Justice Anthony Kennedy’s new constitutional dilemma
Supreme Court denies Westboro funeral protest appeal

by Scott Bomboy

Without comment, the United States Supreme Court denied an appeal from the Westboro Baptist Church on Monday about a Nebraska law…

Supreme Court denies Westboro funeral protest appeal
Supreme Court takes political clothing at polls case

by Scott Bomboy

On Monday, the Supreme Court accepted an appeal about the ability of a voter to wear clothing or campaign buttons at a polling…

Supreme Court takes political clothing at polls case
Justices to rule on abortion foes’ rights

by Lyle Denniston

Taking on a deeply controversial question about the rights of abortion foes when they set up counseling and treatment centers for…

Justices to rule on abortion foes’ rights
Justice Department insists Trump Twitter account is private

by NCC Staff

In legal papers filed late last week, Justice Department lawyers want a federal court to dismiss a First Amendment lawsuit about…

Justice Department insists Trump Twitter account is private
The First Amendment and restricting professional athlete protests

by Scott Bomboy

The current debate over pro sports athletes’ symbolic protests in public arenas touches on some basic First Amendment…

The First Amendment and restricting professional athlete protests
Ex-football coach loses federal appeal over prayer case

by Scott Bomboy

A former Washington state public high school football coach has lost his latest court battle over his right to lead prayers on the…

Ex-football coach loses federal appeal over prayer case
The boundaries of free speech at public colleges

by Scott Bomboy

When and where can students and members of the public express their free-speech rights at public universities? These First…

The boundaries of free speech at public colleges
Three Supreme Court cases involving the Ku Klux Klan

by NCC Staff

Violent public demonstrations involving white supremacists and counter-protesters in Virginia last weekend are driving a lot of…

Three Supreme Court cases involving the Ku Klux Klan
Interactive Constitution: Right to assemble and petition

by John Inazu and Burt Neuborne

In this essay from the National Constitution Center's Interactive Constitution project, John Inazu and Burt Neuborne explain how…

Interactive Constitution: Right to assemble and petition