There is a history of public figures using the court system or threats of litigation as intimidation methods to prevent people from engaging in free speech. In particular, this has affected people who made negative statements about those figures. The Public...
A look at Thailand’s harsh defamation laws
Defamation laws come into play quite often in U.S. society, even as they vary a little state by state. Other countries also seek to protect a person's or institution's reputation from untrue statements in the form of slander or libel. A recent Thailand case sheds...
What is the difference between civil rights and liberties?
There has always been a huge focus on the rights and liberties of citizens in the United States. These concepts are incredibly important to the identity of this country. Our most important legal documents use the terms civil rights and liberties quite a bit. However,...
The two types of defamation
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right to free speech. However, it does not protect words or speech that violate the rights of others. Defamation is one of several examples of speech that the First Amendment does not protect because...
What exactly are civil rights?
Civil rights refer to the rights that U.S. residents have to be and remain free from discrimination and unfair treatment in a variety of basic settings, such as housing, employment, education and public accommodation. FindLaw explains that your civil rights come from...