The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic successfully defended the right of four homeowners in Atlanta’s Lakewood Heights Historic District to speak on matters of public concern affecting development in their neighborhood. These neighbors, who include Heather Graybill, Paula Kupersmith, and Zachary Murray, were sued by Atlanta landlord Omar Ali for engaging in speech and petitioning that did not support his development interests. After the court dismissed multiple claims in response to the homeowners’ motion to strike the lawsuit as a Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suit, Ali voluntarily withdrew the rest of his lawsuit.
Keep ReadingNorins & Bailey publish in Washington & Lee Law Review Online
First Amendment Clinic director Clare R. Norins and clinic alum Mark L. Bailey (JD ’22) critique the Supreme Court’s new state action test in Stitch Incoming: Lindke v. Freed’s Impact on Social-Media-Blocking Litigation, 82 Wash. & Lee L. Rev. Online 172 (2024).
Keep ReadingFall 2024 Clinic Presentations
During the Fall 2024 semester, the First Amendment Clinic presented trainings on election safety for journalists, student press freedoms, Georgia’s sunshine laws, and First Amendment auditors’ right to record.
Keep ReadingAvid v. Taylor – Protecting local bookshop’s First Amendment right to communicate with jail residents
The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic represents Avid Bookshop in challenging the constitutionality of the Gwinnett County Jail’s mail policy that bars physical bookstores from shipping books to jail residents.
Keep ReadingOpen records and open meetings in Georgia
Georgia’s Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act respectively codify the presumption that public records should be made available for public inspection without delay and that government agencies must hold the meetings of their governing bodies open for public observation.
Keep ReadingPre-publication review guide: a media law resource for journalists and attorneys
Pre-publication review (also known as “pre-pub” or “vetting”) is the process of reviewing news articles, scripts, and footage prior to publication to identify and address or mitigate legal concerns.
Keep ReadingClinic receives a $5 million endowment gift from the Stanton Foundation
The University of Georgia School of Law is pleased to share news of its largest gift in history – a $5 million donation from the Stanton Foundation to support the ongoing operations of the First Amendment Clinic.
Keep ReadingClinic article cited in op-ed calling for “New Voices” law
Student journalists in Georgia are advocating for state-level protections of their First Amendment freedoms.
Keep ReadingProspero v. Sullivan – Defending citizen’s right to petition
The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic is currently defending Mrs. Emma Jane Prospero’s right to proceed to trial on claims of First Amendment retaliation and malicious prosecution against officers in the Camden County Sheriff’s Office. Mrs. Prospero is a retired resident of Woodbine, Georgia who was criminally prosecuted for exercising her rights of free speech and petition when she called Camden County 911 to request help stopping gunshots near her home.
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 speaks to participants in U.S. State Department leadership program
First Amendment Clinic Director Clare Norins presented on Georgia’s Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act to journalists from 17 countries participating in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
Keep ReadingSpring 2024 First Amendment trainings & presentations
Throughout Spring 2024, the University of Georgia’s First Amendment Clinic provided trainings and presentations on a wide range of First Amendment issues to audiences including student journalists, educators, public officials, law enforcement, and members of the judiciary.
Keep ReadingSuccessful defense of community residents’ right to speak on matters of public concern
The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic successfully defended the right of four homeowners in Atlanta’s Lakewood Heights Historic District to speak on matters of public concern affecting development in their neighborhood. These neighbors, who include Heather Graybill, Paula Kupersmith, and Zachary Murray, were sued by Atlanta landlord Omar Ali for engaging in speech and petitioning that did not support his development interests. After the court dismissed multiple claims in response to the homeowners’ motion to strike the lawsuit as a Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suit, Ali voluntarily withdrew the rest of his lawsuit.
Keep ReadingNorins & Bailey publish in Washington & Lee Law Review Online
First Amendment Clinic director Clare R. Norins and clinic alum Mark L. Bailey (JD ’22) critique the Supreme Court’s new state action test in Stitch Incoming: Lindke v. Freed’s Impact on Social-Media-Blocking Litigation, 82 Wash. & Lee L. Rev. Online 172 (2024).
Keep ReadingFall 2024 Clinic Presentations
During the Fall 2024 semester, the First Amendment Clinic presented trainings on election safety for journalists, student press freedoms, Georgia’s sunshine laws, and First Amendment auditors’ right to record.
Keep ReadingAvid v. Taylor – Protecting local bookshop’s First Amendment right to communicate with jail residents
The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic represents Avid Bookshop in challenging the constitutionality of the Gwinnett County Jail’s mail policy that bars physical bookstores from shipping books to jail residents.
Keep ReadingOpen records and open meetings in Georgia
Georgia’s Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act respectively codify the presumption that public records should be made available for public inspection without delay and that government agencies must hold the meetings of their governing bodies open for public observation.
Keep ReadingPre-publication review guide: a media law resource for journalists and attorneys
Pre-publication review (also known as “pre-pub” or “vetting”) is the process of reviewing news articles, scripts, and footage prior to publication to identify and address or mitigate legal concerns.
Keep ReadingClinic receives a $5 million endowment gift from the Stanton Foundation
The University of Georgia School of Law is pleased to share news of its largest gift in history – a $5 million donation from the Stanton Foundation to support the ongoing operations of the First Amendment Clinic.
Keep ReadingClinic article cited in op-ed calling for “New Voices” law
Student journalists in Georgia are advocating for state-level protections of their First Amendment freedoms.
Keep ReadingProspero v. Sullivan – Defending citizen’s right to petition
The University of Georgia School of Law’s First Amendment Clinic is currently defending Mrs. Emma Jane Prospero’s right to proceed to trial on claims of First Amendment retaliation and malicious prosecution against officers in the Camden County Sheriff’s Office. Mrs. Prospero is a retired resident of Woodbine, Georgia who was criminally prosecuted for exercising her rights of free speech and petition when she called Camden County 911 to request help stopping gunshots near her home.
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 speaks to participants in U.S. State Department leadership program
First Amendment Clinic Director Clare Norins presented on Georgia’s Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act to journalists from 17 countries participating in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
Keep ReadingSpring 2024 First Amendment trainings & presentations
Throughout Spring 2024, the University of Georgia’s First Amendment Clinic provided trainings and presentations on a wide range of First Amendment issues to audiences including student journalists, educators, public officials, law enforcement, and members of the judiciary.
Keep Reading