Michelle O’Connor-Ratcliff, et al., Petitioners v. Christopher Garnier, et ux.

  1. March 15, 2024

    Justices Craft Test To Decide If Social Media Use Is Official

    The U.S. Supreme Court adopted a new test Friday to determine if a public official's social media use constitutes state action subject to liability under the First Amendment, instructing courts to consider whether the official had authority to speak on the government's behalf and whether they purported to do so in the challenged action.

  2. October 31, 2023

    Justices 'Coalesce' On Narrow Gov't Social Media Use Test

    A majority of the U.S. Supreme Court appeared inclined Tuesday to adopt a narrow test to determine whether a public official's use of social media constitutes state action subject to liability under the First Amendment, but struggled to nail down the specifics of the test.

  3. October 30, 2023

    5 Things To Know About High Court Gov't Social Media Cases

    The U.S. Supreme Court will hear back-to-back arguments Tuesday in two cases that could influence how public officials use social media to share information and interact with constituents, a First Amendment issue the justices avoided tackling until now.

  4. October 27, 2023

    Up Next At High Court: 'Trump Too Small,' Blocking Critics

    The U.S. Supreme Court will return for its second oral arguments session Monday to consider whether a lawyer can trademark the phrase "Trump Too Small" without the former president's consent, if a public official's blocking of a social media follower is liable state action, and what the proper process is for regaining property seized by law enforcement officials.

  5. October 02, 2023

    SG To Argue In Officials' Social Media Blocking Case

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday granted the solicitor general's request to participate in October oral arguments in two cases that question whether public officials who use social media accounts to conduct official business engage in state action subject to liability under the First Amendment.

  6. September 29, 2023

    5 Supreme Court Cases To Watch This Fall

    The U.S. Supreme Court will tackle a variety of questions in the first half of its 2023 term that will have a broad impact on federal regulators' power and the authority of courts to intercede in major aspects of American life.

  7. September 22, 2023

    Access To Justice Cases To Watch This Term

    In the term beginning next week, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to return to some of the most hot-button issues concerning civil rights: guns, free speech, race discrimination, and potentially more.

  8. July 05, 2023

    High Court Row Over Officials Blocking Critics Gets Support

    A Port Huron, Michigan, resident has received support in his U.S. Supreme Court appeal of a finding that a city official did not flout his rights by blocking him from commenting on the official's personal Facebook page, as part of a larger fight at the high court.

  9. April 25, 2023

    What To Know As Justices Look At Officials Blocking Critics

    The U.S. Supreme Court decided this week to review two appeals in the Ninth and Sixth circuits over when public officials can block commenters on their social media pages — the first time it's considered the question since a dispute involving former President Donald Trump.

  10. April 24, 2023

    Justices To Review If Officials Can Block Social Media Critics

    The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to take up two separate appeals in the Ninth and Sixth circuits over when public officials can block individuals from their Facebook pages.