Freedom IndexLegal & Courts
Legal & Courts tracks major cases, rulings, and legislative battles impacting freedom of speech and digital rights. Covering court decisions, lawsuits, and evolving laws, this category provides insights into the legal frameworks shaping expression and censorship around the world.
What is the Federal Communications Commission, and why does its chairman think the agency can regulate Jimmy Kimmel’s jokes?Note: Shortly…
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and 26 media organizations are urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security…
This essay was originally published by The Dallas Observer on Sept. 26, 2025.Last week, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel just hours…
Chris Edwards The Trump administration plans federal worker layoffs if the government shuts down this week. The president’s budget director…
Patrick G. Eddington In my book The Triumph of Fear, one of the Cold War-era political repression programs I spend…
Clark Packard Earlier this week, the Cato Institute, the Fraser Institute in Canada, and a number of global think tanks published…
Michael Chapman Libertarians and many conservatives have long argued that the federal government is too large, too intrusive, and often…
Walter Olson Yesterday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order laying out plans to use law enforcement and regulation to…
Jai Kedia The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) met last week and decided to lower the target for the federal…
Jeffrey Miron On September 19, President Trump signed an executive order adding a $100,000 fee to applications for H‑1B visas, which…
Jeffrey Miron Grocery bills are climbing again—up 3.2 percent over the past year—and nearly half of Americans say food prices…
Brandan P. Buck This morning, President Trump asserted that his administration is attempting to “get back” Bagram Airfield (BAF), the…