Outside the Beltway

George Zimmerman’s attorneys have filed a defamation lawsuit against NBC News.

Will your Yelp review land you in court?

Congress seems to have gotten the message the Supreme Court sent last month about the Stolen Valor Act.

Were the Colonists wrong to toss aside the British Empire so casually?

At least one law student needs a refresher course in the First Amendment.

As societal attitudes change, what counts as an insult so bad you can sue someone over it also changes.

A North Carolina teacher screamed and cursed at students for criticizing President Obama.

Sure, he routinely uses gender-specific slurs against conservative women. But he’s not a misogynist!

When in trouble, sue the messenger.

Herman Cain’s response to allegations of sexual harassment 20 years ago raise as many questions as they answer.

In Scotland, posting stupid things on Facebook is a “hate crime” punishable by serious jail time.

The Supreme Court will have another interesting First Amendment case on its docket this Term.

A case pending in Maryland raises the question of when boorish online behavior crosses the line from protected speech to criminal act.

A somewhat surprising First Amendment decision arising out of the 2010 Elections.

In a decision released yesterday. the New Jersey Supreme Court clarified the journalist/blogger distinction somewhat.

Xavier Alvarez lied about having been awarded the Medal Of Honor. Should that be a crime? The Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals says no, and they’re right.

Facebook has come up with new settings to meet the needs of users in same-sex relationships.

Shirley Sherrod’s lawsuit against Andrew Brietbart promises to be an interesting test of the boundaries of defamation law in the political blogosphere.

A suit against a newspaper for not removing an old story about a college football player was tossed.

Republicans in Idaho are talking about resurrecting the foolish and discredited idea of nullification as a weapon in the fight against ObamaCare.

Ohio Congressman Steve Driehaus is suing a pro-life PAC for “defamation” and “loss of livelihood” over its role in his defeat in the 2010 Elections.

Let’s keep our eye on the ball, people.

Recklessness.

The 9th Circuit yesterday ruled that Stolen Valor laws violate the 1st Amendment and that there is a limited right to lie.

The Anti-Defamation League has taken an unfortunate stand on a issue involving religious tolerance and bigotry.

Veteran LA Times sportswriter Mike Penner is about to undergo sexual reassignment surgery.