News & Analysis as of

First Amendment › Open Meetings Act

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech... more +
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech or the press, preventing citizens from peacefully assembling, or interfering with citizens' ability to petition the government for redress of their grievances. The First Amendment is one of the most sacred aspects of the American legal tradition and has spawned a vast body of jurisprudence and commentary. less -
Franczek P.C.

PAC Finds OMA Violation Where Public Comment Impermissibly Limited

Franczek P.C. on

In a recent binding opinion, the PAC found a public body in violation of the Open Meetings Act (OMA) for restricting the content of public comment where a member of the public attempted to discuss the District’s hiring...more

Franczek P.C.

Supreme Court Issues Decision Affirming a Public Body’s Right to Censure Board Member

Franczek P.C. on

In Houston Community College System v. Wilson, the United States Supreme Court held that a public body’s verbal censure of a fellow board member did not violate the board member’s First Amendment rights. The censure followed...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

Texas Court Of Criminal Appeals Strikes Down "Secret Deliberations" Provision Of Open Meetings Act

Husch Blackwell LLP on

On Wednesday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals struck down Section 551.143(a) of the Open Meetings Act, making it a crime for members of a governmental body to “knowingly conspire to circumvent this chapter by meeting in...more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

Public Comment Time Limit OK'd by Court - Alexander Brand Discusses California Appellate Court Ruling in PublicCEO

Best Best & Krieger LLP on

Does your agency place a time limit on public comments at meetings? So long as time restrictions placed on public comment periods are reasonable and don’t violate state or federal law, the Second District Court of Appeal,...more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

Public Entities Can Limit Public Comment Speaking Time at Meetings - California Appellate Court Finds Limit Did Not Violate Brown...

Best Best & Krieger LLP on

Public entities can place reasonable time restrictions on public comment at their meetings as long as the time restrictions do not violate state or federal law, a California appellate court said in a fairly sweeping decision....more

Franczek P.C.

Use Caution when Monitoring Comments on Your School’s Social Media Page

Franczek P.C. on

Public schools should be cautious as to how they moderate access to and comments on their social media profiles. In Packingham v. North Carolina, the Supreme Court recently recognized that the Internet, and particularly...more

Robinson+Cole RLUIPA Defense

Massachusetts Church Alleges Solar Panel Denial Violates Religious Freedom

Robinson+Cole RLUIPA Defense on

A Massachusetts Superior Court is soon to consider the interplay of three important planning principles – historic preservation, sustainable development, and freedom of religion. A Unitarian Universalist church is suing the...more

Robinson+Cole RLUIPA Defense

Illinois Federal Court Dismisses Some, But Not All, RLUIPA Claims

Robinson+Cole RLUIPA Defense on

A federal court in Illinois, in Church of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ v. City of Markham, Illinois (N.D. Ill. 2015), dismissed some of the Church’s religious land use claims while allowing others to proceed. The case is...more

Franczek P.C.

Public Entity Deletes Comments From Facebook Page: The Right Choice?

Franczek P.C. on

A recent Illinois Attorney General opinion addressed an interesting question: Can a public entity delete comments by community members from its Facebook page? Although the public entity at issue was a municipality, the...more

9 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 1

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
Sign up Log in
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide