Litigation
The Institute defends the freedoms of speech and of the press through strategic litigation designed to have a meaningful impact on the law, on public policy, and on public opinion. We litigate cases that have the potential to establish important new legal principles concerning the system of free expression, to influence the practices of powerful actors in that system, and to raise public awareness about contemporary structural threats to that system. We focus especially on complex and challenging cases that relate to new technology, including new communications platforms, and we favor cases that afford us the opportunity to draw on insights generated by our research program.
Our litigation prioritizes cases in our three focus areas, Free Speech & Social Media, Transparency & Democracy, and Privacy & Surveillance.
Featured
LATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
-
Op-ed
For the Biden Administration, Who Counts as News Media?
Newly obtained document raises concerns that some newsgatherers will be denied First Amendment protection
By Anna Diakun & Trevor Timm -
Press Statement
Knight Institute Comments on Supreme Court Decision in Van Buren v. United States
Says decision will help protect public-interest research and journalism, but more is needed
-
Op-ed
What Is America’s Spy Court Hiding From the Public?
Unnecessary secrecy about government surveillance is bad for the intelligence agencies, the spy court, and our democracy
By Jameel Jaffer , Theodore Olson & David Cole
Our Docket
Showing 1–10 of 35
-
-
Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. DHS
A FOIA lawsuit seeking records on ideological screening at the border
-
Lawsuit
In re Opinions & Orders of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
A motion asserting a right of access to opinions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
-
-
Lawsuit
National Association of Immigration Judges v. McHenry
A lawsuit challenging a government policy silencing immigration judges
-
Lawsuit
Doc Society v. Blinken
A lawsuit challenging the State Department’s social media registration requirement
-
-
Lawsuit
Francis v. DOJ
A FOIA lawsuit seeking disclosure of Office of Legal Counsel opinions issued over 25 years ago
-
Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. Trump
A second lawsuit challenging President Trump’s blocking of critics on Twitter
-
Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. Paxton
A lawsuit challenging Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s blocking of critics on Twitter