The Latest Breaking News from Ninth Circuit

Plaintiff had shown the police cell phone messages in which she “casually discussed the sexual activity that occurred the night of the alleged rape and agreed to meet [the person she was accusing] again for a future sexual encounter,” and “told the alleged assailant that she ‘could make him lose…

The account posted items such as (in mid-2020), "ASU: No More Social Distancing. No More Masks. It Is Time to Party!"

From a preliminary injunction decision by Judge Richard Jones (W.D. Wash.) in Sullivan v. Univ. of Washington (with PETA as intervenors; earlier coverage here): The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee ("IACUC") at the University of Washington monitors animal research conducted at the university. The committee "approves and monitors all…

Flea collars, bachelors, and data scraping.

The Supreme Court has consistently banned school-sponsored prayer in public K-12 schools, whether at the start of the school day, during graduation ceremonies or before football games. Under the Equal Access Act, the Supreme Court has affirmed that students may organize prayer and Bible study clubs during non-instructional hours. Even…

From Thompson v. Central Valley School Dist. No. 365, decided a month ago by Chief Judge Stanley Bastian (E.D. Wash.) (now on appeal to the Ninth Circuit): "[W]e … live in a time when a careless comment can ruin reputations and crater careers that have been built over a lifetime…

Straight teeth, prurient firefighters, and Fresh American Beef.

Sidewalk chalk, invasive owls, and ostinato copyrights.

The Ninth Circuit doesn't hold that the chalking ban is unconstitutional, but does conclude that Las Vegas arrests for chalking (as opposed to citations) may be so rare as to raise the inference that they were retaliation for the message.