Sources & Methodology

Our content is grounded in primary legal sources and leading nonpartisan organizations in First Amendment law.

Primary Sources

U.S. Supreme Court Opinions

All SCOTUS opinions cited are drawn from official slip opinions and Justia's database.

First Amendment Encyclopedia

MTSU's comprehensive reference encyclopedia on First Amendment doctrine.

FIRE — Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression

Litigation, research, and policy analysis on campus and government speech restrictions.

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Press freedom law and legal resources for journalists.

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Digital rights and internet free speech litigation and analysis.

Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia

Academic and litigation center on digital-age First Amendment issues.

Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law)

Free annotated legal resources including First Amendment doctrine.

Methodology

Case summaries are based on the text of official opinions. We cite the case name, reporter citation, and year for all major cases. Holdings are described as of the time of decision; subsequent developments are noted where relevant.

Debate articles present the strongest versions of competing arguments. We deliberately use steel-manning — presenting each side at its most persuasive — rather than strawmanning. Our own editorial views are clearly labeled.

AI content is drafted with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by editors. See our Editorial Policy for details.