Litigation
The Institute defends the freedoms of speech and of the press through strategic litigation designed to have a meaningful impact on the law, on public policy, and on public opinion. We litigate cases that have the potential to establish important new legal principles concerning the system of free expression, to influence the practices of powerful actors in that system, and to raise public awareness about contemporary structural threats to that system. We focus especially on complex and challenging cases that relate to new technology, including new communications platforms, and we favor cases that afford us the opportunity to draw on insights generated by our research program.
Our litigation prioritizes cases in our three focus areas, Free Speech & Social Media, Transparency & Democracy, and Privacy & Surveillance.
Featured
Doc Society v. Pompeo
A lawsuit challenging the State Department’s social media registration requirement
LATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
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Analysis
Visiting the US? The Government is Reading Your Old Facebook Posts
A new lawsuit could help stop the surveillance of 14 million people a year who visit the US. The courts must put an end to overreach.
By Carrie DeCell & Cristian Farias -
Analysis
A New U.S. Visa Requirement is Silencing Foreign Filmmakers
Policy infringes on filmmakers' freedom of expression and interferes with Americans' ability to engage with diverse international thinkers
By Simon Kilmurry -
Our Docket
Showing 11–20 of 26
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Lawsuit
Knight Institute and Committee to Protect Journalists v. CIA
A FOIA lawsuit for records concerning the U.S. government's "duty to warn" journalist Jamal Khashoggi
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Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. Trump
A lawsuit challenging President Trump's blocking of critics on Twitter
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Amicus Brief
Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media
A Supreme Court case addressing the scope of FOIA’s exemption for confidential commercial information
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Amicus Brief
Manhattan Community Access Corp. v. Halleck
A Supreme Court case involving free speech on private property
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Amicus Brief
Raimondo v. FBI
A Ninth Circuit case addressing the scope of the Privacy Act’s protections for free expression
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Amicus Brief
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. DOJ
A FOIA lawsuit seeking proactive disclosure of the Office of Legal Counsel’s secret legal opinions
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Amicus Brief
Ragbir v. Homan
A lawsuit challenging the retaliatory deportation of immigrant rights activitist Ravi Ragbir