The WashU First Amendment Clinic represents individuals in a range of matters that implicate the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.
Examples of First Amendment matters that fit within the Clinic’s mission include, but are not limited to:
- Government restrictions that limit an individual’s right to speak in public places, like parks or sidewalks.
- Government restrictions that treat speakers differently based on the content or viewpoint of their speech or that are broader than necessary to achieve the government’s purpose.
- Government retaliation against an individual based on their speech.
- A public school punishing a student for engaging in speech that did not cause a substantial disruption.
- A reporter seeking to access sealed court records relating to a matter of public interest.
- Defending individuals facing libel or defamation claims because of their speech or reporting on matters of public concern.
This list is not exhaustive, as First Amendment issues can arise in a variety of contexts.
Clinic Cases
Below are actual cases in which the Clinic has successfully defended our clients’ First Amendment rights.
Felts v. Reed
The Clinic obtained a judgment in our client’s favor on a claim that an elected official violated our client’s First Amendment rights by blocking her from his official Twitter account after she questioned one of his policy positions.
Double v. City of St. Charles
The city repealed its unconstitutional solicitation ordinance after the Clinic filed a lawsuit on behalf of our client, who had been repeatedly cited and arrested while standing near roadways while holding a sign reading “Homeless Disabled Vet.”
Jennings v. University City
A federal court concluded a municipality had violated our clients’ First Amendment and due process rights by enforcing an ordinance and related policy that were used to prohibit musicians and others from engaging in speech or performance on public sidewalks.
Sanders v. Mississippi County
The Clinic represented a newspaper on a successful motion to unseal court records in a high-profile case involving the death of a young man at a rural Missouri jail.