Avid Bookshop, an independent, community-based bookstore located in Athens, Georgia is challenging the constitutionality of the Gwinnett County Jail’s mail policy that bars Avid and other physical bookstores from shipping books to Jail residents.
Keep ReadingMarketplace of ideas: Clinic members pen op-eds
In Spring 2024, Clinic students and fellows published op-eds in support of First Amendment freedoms and government accountability.
Keep ReadingClinic attorneys present at Georgia Bar, Media & Judiciary Conference
Members of UGA Law School’s First Amendment Clinic moderated and presented during the 33rd annual Georgia Bar, Media & Judiciary Conference.
Keep ReadingClinic litigates social media blocking case against City of Morrow
The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic is litigating a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Morrow, Georgia for blocking Aaron Booterbaugh from the City’s Facebook Page after he posted comments critical of the City’s Mayor and City Manager.
Keep ReadingNorins & Hamilton address digital free speech issues
Speaking to audiences on both coasts, Clinic director Clare R. Norins and Clinic attorney Samantha Hamilton respectively unpacked some of the digital free speech issues to be decided during the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023-2024 term.
Keep ReadingProspero v. Sullivan – Defending citizen’s right to petition for help
On December 29, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia ruled that the First Amendment Clinic’s retaliatory prosecution lawsuit against officers in the Camden County Sheriff’s Office may proceed to trial. The case is brought on behalf of Mrs. Emma Jane Prospero, a retired resident of Woodbine, Georgia who was prosecuted in retaliation for exercising her free speech and petition rights by calling Camden County 911 to report gunshots near her home.
Keep ReadingClinic provides training on speech rights and media law to audiences around the state
During the Fall 2023 semester, the University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic trained students, journalists, local officials, law enforcement, and engaged citizens on a variety of speech and media law topics.
Keep ReadingNorins & Schmitt represent at Access & Accountability Conference
“Algorithms, AI, & First Amendment Rights” Clinic director Clare Norins (third from right) and Clinic student Ren Schmitt (first from right) participated in two panel events as part of Yale Law School’s October 2023 Access & Accountability Conference.
Keep ReadingNorins interviewed on Georgia Public Broadcasting about recent petition-and-referendum initiatives
Clare Norins, director of the University of Georgia’s First Amendment Clinic, spoke with Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Orlando Montoya about recent petition-and-referendum initiatives in Georgia, including voters’ rejection of the Camden County spaceport project, which outcome was upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court, and the petition effort to stop the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center (APSTC), which has been the subject of federal litigation.
Keep ReadingClinic attorney Hamilton interviewed about unconstitutional “panhandling” ordinance
Georgia Journalism and Access Project Attorney Samantha C. Hamilton was interviewed by The Augusta Chronicle about Columbia County, Georgia’s unconstitutional “panhandling” ordinance. The article titled “When can local governments restrict asking for money in public? Rarely, says lawyer” was written by Abraham Kenmore and published 9/28/23.
Keep ReadingLegal fellow Veile featured in Georgia Recorder
First Amendment Clinic Legal Fellow Allyson Veile spoke to the Georgia Recorder about the Georgia Attorney General’s open government mediation program which handles complaints of non-compliance with Georgia’s Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act. The article titled “Georgia AG shrugs off open records violations but demands local DAs enforce all laws equally” was written by Chaya Tong and published 9/22/23.
Keep ReadingClinic files amicus brief in support of freedom of speech and the right to petition
Advocating for core political speech rights, the University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic filed an amicus brief to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals asking it to uphold an injunction against the City of Atlanta’s residency requirement for collecting referendum petition signatures.
Keep ReadingAvid v. Taylor – Protecting local bookshop’s First Amendment right to communicate with jail residents
Avid Bookshop, an independent, community-based bookstore located in Athens, Georgia is challenging the constitutionality of the Gwinnett County Jail’s mail policy that bars Avid and other physical bookstores from shipping books to Jail residents.
Keep ReadingMarketplace of ideas: Clinic members pen op-eds
In Spring 2024, Clinic students and fellows published op-eds in support of First Amendment freedoms and government accountability.
Keep ReadingClinic attorneys present at Georgia Bar, Media & Judiciary Conference
Members of UGA Law School’s First Amendment Clinic moderated and presented during the 33rd annual Georgia Bar, Media & Judiciary Conference.
Keep ReadingClinic litigates social media blocking case against City of Morrow
The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic is litigating a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Morrow, Georgia for blocking Aaron Booterbaugh from the City’s Facebook Page after he posted comments critical of the City’s Mayor and City Manager.
Keep ReadingNorins & Hamilton address digital free speech issues
Speaking to audiences on both coasts, Clinic director Clare R. Norins and Clinic attorney Samantha Hamilton respectively unpacked some of the digital free speech issues to be decided during the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023-2024 term.
Keep ReadingProspero v. Sullivan – Defending citizen’s right to petition for help
On December 29, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia ruled that the First Amendment Clinic’s retaliatory prosecution lawsuit against officers in the Camden County Sheriff’s Office may proceed to trial. The case is brought on behalf of Mrs. Emma Jane Prospero, a retired resident of Woodbine, Georgia who was prosecuted in retaliation for exercising her free speech and petition rights by calling Camden County 911 to report gunshots near her home.
Keep ReadingClinic provides training on speech rights and media law to audiences around the state
During the Fall 2023 semester, the University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic trained students, journalists, local officials, law enforcement, and engaged citizens on a variety of speech and media law topics.
Keep ReadingNorins & Schmitt represent at Access & Accountability Conference
“Algorithms, AI, & First Amendment Rights” Clinic director Clare Norins (third from right) and Clinic student Ren Schmitt (first from right) participated in two panel events as part of Yale Law School’s October 2023 Access & Accountability Conference.
Keep ReadingNorins interviewed on Georgia Public Broadcasting about recent petition-and-referendum initiatives
Clare Norins, director of the University of Georgia’s First Amendment Clinic, spoke with Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Orlando Montoya about recent petition-and-referendum initiatives in Georgia, including voters’ rejection of the Camden County spaceport project, which outcome was upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court, and the petition effort to stop the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center (APSTC), which has been the subject of federal litigation.
Keep ReadingClinic attorney Hamilton interviewed about unconstitutional “panhandling” ordinance
Georgia Journalism and Access Project Attorney Samantha C. Hamilton was interviewed by The Augusta Chronicle about Columbia County, Georgia’s unconstitutional “panhandling” ordinance. The article titled “When can local governments restrict asking for money in public? Rarely, says lawyer” was written by Abraham Kenmore and published 9/28/23.
Keep ReadingLegal fellow Veile featured in Georgia Recorder
First Amendment Clinic Legal Fellow Allyson Veile spoke to the Georgia Recorder about the Georgia Attorney General’s open government mediation program which handles complaints of non-compliance with Georgia’s Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act. The article titled “Georgia AG shrugs off open records violations but demands local DAs enforce all laws equally” was written by Chaya Tong and published 9/22/23.
Keep ReadingClinic files amicus brief in support of freedom of speech and the right to petition
Advocating for core political speech rights, the University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic filed an amicus brief to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals asking it to uphold an injunction against the City of Atlanta’s residency requirement for collecting referendum petition signatures.
Keep Reading