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Constitution Explorer

First Amendment — Speech and Press Clauses

Protects speech and press from government abridgment subject to constitutional doctrine defining protected and unprotected categories.

Amendment IClause / Provision

Why this provision matters

Protects speech and press from government abridgment subject to constitutional doctrine defining protected and unprotected categories.

CONNECTED RESEARCH

Research records connected to this page through the Common vs. Commie evidence graph.

5 relevant links

Issues

1 shown
About / concernsFree SpeechCompare Common Sense, centrist, progressive, democratic-socialist, and communist-aligned approaches to free speech.Open Issue →

Court Cases

4 shown
InterpretsNew York Times Co. v. SullivanRequired public officials seeking damages for defamatory falsehoods relating to official conduct to prove actual malice.Open Court Case →InterpretsBrandenburg v. OhioProtected advocacy of force or law violation unless it is directed to inciting imminent lawless action and likely…Open Court Case →InterpretsCitizens United v. Federal Election CommissionHeld that the First Amendment bars certain government restrictions on independent political expenditures by corporations and unions.Open Court Case →InterpretsJanus v. AFSCMEHeld that requiring nonconsenting public employees to pay agency fees to a public-sector union violates the First Amendment.Open Court Case →

Connections indicate documented relationships in the research database; they do not by themselves imply endorsement, opposition, or equivalence.

Connected Research

Comparison TopicFree SpeechAbout →Supreme Court CaseNew York Times Co. v. SullivanInterprets →Supreme Court CaseBrandenburg v. OhioInterprets →Supreme Court CaseCitizens United v. Federal Election CommissionInterprets →Supreme Court CaseJanus v. AFSCMEInterprets →

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