Recently in Free Speech Category

Two bloggers whose inflammatory posts landed them in legal trouble have found little relief from federal prosecutors or courts.

On Dec. 18, 2009, a federal jury in Roanoke, Va., convicted white supremacist William White on four counts of criminal threats and intimidation. Although one of the counts was later vacated, White was sentenced to 30 months in prison on the remaining three convictions.

The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals released an unpublished opinion on Feb. 2, 2010, that rejected the 9th Circuit's national Internet obscenity standard and instead applied a localized, "contemporary community" standard to affirm the conviction of an online pornography producer.

A federal district court ruling in October fueled a debate about whether restricting protestors from picketing at funerals violates the First Amendment.

Police Say New Rules Not Related to Convention; Critics Disagree

The St. Paul, Minn. Police Department has adopted new guidelines for investigating and gathering information on protest groups.