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
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York v. USDA
A case challenging USDA’s purge of climate-related webpages.
LATEST NEWS & ANALYSIS
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Press Statement
Knight Institute and ACLU Urge Court to Construe Foreign Agent Registration Act Narrowly
Overbroad law has chilling effects on journalists, media organizations, and nonprofits
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Press Statement
Knight Institute Urges Court to Restore AP to White House Press Pool
Says excluding AP violates First Amendment’s “public forum” doctrine
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Press Statement
Knight Institute Seeks Immediate Release of Special Counsel’s Report on Trump’s Mishandling of Classified Documents
Says the public has a First Amendment “right of access” to the document
Our Docket
Showing 1–10 of 77
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Amicus Brief
The Associated Press v. Budowich
A case challenging The Associated Press’ exclusion from the White House press pool.
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Amicus Brief
United States v. Terry
A case addressing the scope of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
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Lawsuit
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York v. USDA
A case challenging USDA’s purge of climate-related webpages.
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Lawsuit
United States v. Trump
A motion to intervene in Trump classified documents case seeking release of Volume II of Special Counsel’s report.
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Amicus Brief
X Corp. v. Media Matters
An appeal addressing X Corp.’s effort to compel a research organization to disclose its donors.
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Amicus Brief
United States v. Smith
A Second Circuit case addressing warrantless cellphone searches at the border
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Lawsuit
The Foundation for Global Political Exchange v. Department of the Treasury
A case challenging OFAC’s suppression of the exchange of political ideas
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FOIA Lawsuit
Knight Institute v. Department of Education
A FOIA lawsuit seeking disclosure of Department of Education guidance to universities regarding their Title VI obligations.
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Amicus Brief
United States v. Kamaldoss
A Second Circuit case addressing warrantless cellphone searches at the border