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
American Association of University Professors v. Rubio
A case challenging the Trump administration’s policy of ideological deportation.
LATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
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Press Statement
Knight Institute, Reporters Committee, and FIRE Urge Supreme Court to Reject Dragnet Geofence Warrants
Warn that dragnet location-data searches threaten the rights to privacy, free expression, and political and religious association
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Press Statement
Knight Institute Files Notice of Cross-Appeal in Challenge to Trump Administration’s Deportation Policy Targeting Pro-Palestinian Advocacy
Institute seeks stronger remedies to enforce district court’s First Amendment ruling
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Press Statement
Judge Aileen Cannon “Permanently” Blocks Release of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Report in Trump Classified Documents Case
Knight Institute says First Amendment requires disclosure; appeal seeking report’s release remains pending
Our Docket
Showing 81–89 of 89
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Amicus Brief
Amawi v. Pflugerville Independent School District
A lawsuit challenging Texas's anti-BDS law
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Amicus Brief
Democratic National Committee v. Russian Federation
A lawsuit against WikiLeaks implicating important press freedoms
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Amicus Brief
Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media
A Supreme Court case addressing the scope of FOIA’s exemption for confidential commercial information
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Amicus Brief
Manhattan Community Access Corp. v. Halleck
A Supreme Court case involving free speech on private property
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Amicus Brief
Raimondo v. FBI
A Ninth Circuit case addressing the scope of the Privacy Act’s protections for free expression
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Amicus Brief
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. DOJ
A FOIA lawsuit seeking proactive disclosure of the Office of Legal Counsel’s secret legal opinions
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Lawsuit
Davison v. Randall
A lawsuit challenging a local government official’s blocking of a critic on Facebook
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Amicus Brief
Carpenter v. United States
A Supreme Court case challenging warrantless access to cellphone location data
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