RI Firefighters Seek To Enjoin Enforcement of Social Media Policy

The initiation of a disciplinary investigation into social media posts by IAFF union officials in Tiverton, Rhode Island, has prompted a federal lawsuit accusing the town of wrongfully chilling the exercise of the firefighters’ First Amendment free speech rights.

Judge Blocks Enforcement of Two Nashville Fire Policies That Limit Employee Speech

A Tennessee judge has issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of two Nashville Fire Department policies that regulate employee speech. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by a firefighter who was suspended for calling the city council “white supremacists” in social media.

Court of Appeals Strikes Down Palm Beach County Social Media Policy

The US 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a social media-related First Amendment lawsuit filed by two Palm Beach County fire captains may proceed, reversing a district court ruling from 2020. In doing so the court struck down the fire department’s social media policy as being a prior restraint on employee speech.

Palm Beach County Social Media Policy and Discipline Upheld

A lawsuit challenging the validity of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue’s social media policy, together with the discipline imposed on two captains, has been dismissed for the second time. Captain AJ O’Laughlin and Captain Crystal Little filed suit in state court last year claiming their social media-related discipline should be overturned, and that the social media policy violated the First Amendment.

Palm Beach County Social Media Suit Dismissed

A lawsuit filed last year by two captains with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue after they were disciplined for social media posts, has been dismissed. Captain AJ O’Laughlin and Captain Crystal Little filed suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court last May. It was later removed to federal court.

Two Palm Beach County Captains Claim Their Discipline Violates First Amendment

Two captains with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue have filed suit claiming the department violated their First Amendment rights by disciplining them for their social media posts. Captain AJ O’Laughlin and Captain Crystal Little filed suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court last week.

Trial Court Renders Split Decision to Kelvin Cochran And Atlanta

The trial judge in the case of former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran handed down her long-awaited ruling this week, and it was a split decision. Chief Cochran was terminated in 2014 after he published a religious-themed book in conjunction with his ministry that many considered to be offensive to the LGBT community.

Court Strikes Down Police Department Social Media Policy In Ho-Hum Non-Precedent Setting But Widely Discussed Decision

Today’s burning question: I just saw that the 4th Circuit struck down a police department’s social media policy based on the First Amendment. I live in Nevada, which is part of the 9th Circuit. Will that ruling be binding here? Answer: Boy, there sure is a lot of interest in that 4th Circuit case. I have received over 25 emails and social media contacts TODAY ALONE.

Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone

Tag Archives: prior restraint