Petition overview
MORE ARTICLES FROM ‘Petition’
Occupy Nashville protesters sue governor over curfew
Meanwhile, a reporter covering Nashville protests is among those arrested; police and protesters face off in other Occupy demonstrations across the country.
Wash. releases anti-gay rights petitions — with names of signers
Protect Marriage Washington spokesman says disclosure is ‘terrible’ and he believes ‘there will certainly be harassment’ of those who supported petitions.
High court won’t hear Libertarian Party’s appeal
Group had sought to have Bob Barr be the party’s sole candidate on New Hampshire’s 2008 presidential ballot.
White House creates website for online petitions
Administration announces We the People page, where individuals can create and sign petitions seeking the government’s action on a range of issues.
Former student litigant still bristles at school censorship
As an 11-year-old, Josh Mamis circulated a petition in 1968 calling for his school principal’s ouster — then sued after the principal tried to stop him.
Texas governor signs anti-SLAPP bill into law
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press says legislation gives citizens a quick way to dismiss lawsuits filed against them for exercising their free speech.
Public-employee petitions must address public concerns, high court rules
In Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri, Justice Kennedy says the right of petition “is not a right to transform everyday employment disputes into matters for constitutional litigation in a federal forum.”
Lawyer can’t speak out against ex-client, Calif. high court rules
The state Supreme Court finds that the First Amendment doesn’t protect an attorney’s public campaign against a former client’s construction project.
High court rejects Nader’s appeal of ballot rules
Former candidate claimed Hawaii election requirements made it harder for independents to make it on ballot than party candidates.
High court rejects Nader’s appeal of ballot rules
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has turned away Ralph Nader's appeal of a Hawaiian court's decision keeping him off the state's presidential ballot in 2004.
The high court refused yesterday to hear Nader's appeal.
Elections officials kept Nader off Hawaii's 2004 ballot because supporters had failed to submit the required number of signatures. He challenged that decision, [...]
Court delves into history in rare petition case
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court yesterday was treated to an hourlong tour of the history of the rarely invoked petition clause of the First Amendment. By the end of the hour, however, it did not appear the Court was ready to breathe new life into the hoary right of the people to “petition the government [...]
Calif. judge to school district: Count signatures on charter petition
COMPTON, Calif. — A Superior Court judge has ruled that the Compton Unified School District violated parents' First Amendment rights by imposing an onerous signature-verification process on a disputed parent petition for a charter school.
On March 21, Judge Anthony J. Mohr ordered administrators to count the signatures by April 1 over the objections of the [...]
Remembering an oft-forgotten freedom
Although it’s the freedom few people can name, petition has deep historical roots.
Alaska high court: Voters may see write-in list
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska Supreme Court late yesterday blocked a lower court's order and ruled that voters at polling places may see a list of write-in candidates.
The ruling was good news for the campaign of incumbent U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. She was defeated in the Republican primary by tea party favorite Joe Miller and [...]
THE EXPERTS
The First Amendment Center is an educational organization and cannot provide legal advice.
Ken Paulson is president and chief executive officer of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University and in Washington, D.C. Previously, Paulson served as the editor and senior vice president/news of USA Today.
Gene Policinski, senior vice president and executive director of the First Amendment Center and president and chief operating officer of the Diversity Institute, is a veteran journalist whose career has included work in newspapers, radio, television and online.
John Seigenthaler founded the First Amendment Center in 1991 with the mission of creating national discussion, dialogue and debate about First Amendment rights and values.
Dr. Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum. He writes and speaks extensively on religious liberty and religion in American public life.
David L. Hudson Jr. is an expert in First Amendment issues who writes for firstamendmentcenter.org and for other publications. Hudson teaches law and was a scholar at the First Amendment Center.
Tiffany Villager is director/First Amendment studies at the First Amendment Center, which she joined in 1993. She also served as the center’s research manager and research coordinator, and developed the center’s library.
Assembly Commentary • Inside the First Amendment • Petition Commentary | Gene Policinski
‘Occupy’ protests, tea party rallies: assembly, petition in action
Even those who see themselves as disenfranchised — as some “tea partiers” and “occupiers” both have claimed — find that their voices are not stilled, their protests not muffled by representatives of the most powerful government on Earth.