The United States has been punching well below its weight for five years, and that’s got to stop. It is hardly surprising that in its second term the Obama Administration lacks a coherent international strategy. There was none in the first term … [Read more...] about Leadership as a Last Resort*
ACD in the Media
"Dan’s Law" – The Super Lawyer Behind "Rachel’s Law"
The "Super Lawyer" Daniel Kornstein - the lawyer behind New York State's "Rachel's Law" (2008) and "The Federal 2010 - SPEECH Act," protecting American writers and publishers from enforcement of foreign libel judgement in the U.S. Click here to read … [Read more...] about "Dan’s Law" – The Super Lawyer Behind "Rachel’s Law"
Bill To Counter Lawsuits Vs. Journalists Introduced
A bill introduced Aug. 2 in the U.S. Senate would enable news media to counter SLAPP suits filed to suppress their reporting. Sen. Jon Kyl, R–Ariz., introduced the Free Press Act of 2012 (S.B. 3493), a measure designed to protect the First Amendment … [Read more...] about Bill To Counter Lawsuits Vs. Journalists Introduced
Campus Hate Speech And Speech Codes
Many of the finest and most honest minds – conservative and liberal -- in and out of academia have argued, and sometimes succeeded, that campus speech codes often cross the line to suppression of First Amendment freedom of speech. The excesses in the … [Read more...] about Campus Hate Speech And Speech Codes
The Speech Act, A View From Abroad
The SPEECH Act [1] was enacted in 2010 and was intended to protect American authors and publishers from the risk of US judicial enforcement of defamation judgments rendered in less media-friendly jurisdictions – most often, England. In a nutshell, … [Read more...] about The Speech Act, A View From Abroad
Ad Site Crimes: Shutdown Isn’t The Solution
Natasha Curtis made four. All women. All found dead in car trunks in Detroit. Three of the four apparently advertised themselves as available for escort services on Backpage.com, a classified site owned by Village Voice Media. There is no debating … [Read more...] about Ad Site Crimes: Shutdown Isn’t The Solution
Home Court Advantage
THANKS to the Internet, universal access to the printed word and economic globalization, the 21st century is expected to be shaped by the free exchange of ideas. But casting a shadow over this optimistic prediction is the emerging threat of “libel … [Read more...] about Home Court Advantage
One Daring Woman
Rachel Ehreneld, the author of Funding Evil: How Terrorism is Financed - and How to Stop It, incurred a default judgment against her in a British libel suit filed by a Saudi banker named in the book. Her reaction led to a new federal law in the … [Read more...] about One Daring Woman
Libel Tourism In Britain, R.I.P.?
The British government is, at last, moving to reform the country’s notorious libel law, which has long made London a magnet for frivolous lawsuits. The reform proposal presented to Parliament last week by Kenneth Clarke, the justice secretary, is far … [Read more...] about Libel Tourism In Britain, R.I.P.?
In Britain, Curbing Lawsuits Over Libel
Some tourists head to London to visit Big Ben or the Tate museum. For wealthy individuals or celebrities who feel that they can sue the news media under Britain’s libel laws, the Royal Courts of Justice have long been a popular stop. The issue rose … [Read more...] about In Britain, Curbing Lawsuits Over Libel