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Jake Wunsch

“Let’s Go, Brandon’s” journey from broadcast gaffe to political totem lays bare a dilemma in treating student speech: when minors in public schools use language tinged with — or descended from — vulgarity to make a political point, where does free speech end and school authority begin?

Oct 2025

L*t’s G* Br*nd*n: The First Amendment Semiotics of Political Euphemism

“Let’s Go, Brandon’s” journey from broadcast gaffe to political totem lays bare a dilemma in treating student speech: when minors in public schools use language tinged with — or descended from — vulgarity to make a political point, where does free speech end and school authority begin?

Oct 2025

Federal Court Permanently Blocks Unprecedented Texas Book Rating Law

In a case of first impression, the court granted summary judgment this fall in favor of a coalition of booksellers, publishers, and authors challenging Texas’s book rating law, HB 900 (the READER Act), and entered a permanent injunction enjoining key provisions of the statute.

Oct 2025

Sweet Sixteen and Never Been Online: Australia’s Age-Gating of Digital Speech

There’s a dark irony to Australia’s paternalism here. We’re a nation willing to jail ten-year-olds, yet hesitant to trust them with an Instagram account. 

Oct 2025

Will Carter be Rucked?   

Carter-Ruck appears to be challenging the scope of the SRA’s investigatory powers – objecting to turning over their files to the SRA, where they contain legally privileged information. Given that these are uncertain times for the First Amendment, there may be lessons to be learnt in the USA as to whether there should be a…

Oct 2025

Texas Court Dismisses Defamation Claim by Activist Who Campaigned for Removal of Books at State Historical Sites 

A Texas court of appeals dismissed a defamation claim by a prominent “anti-woke” activist who had complained to officials about antiracism books offered for sale at two state historical sites that once had been slave plantations.

Oct 2025

RFK Jr. Loses Defamation Lawsuit Against Maine-Based Daily Kos Blogger

It’s hard to win a defamation lawsuit when you sue someone over things they didn’t say, or statements that are obviously expressions of opinion, or when you mischaracterize what they actually said.

Oct 2025

Sally Jenkins and Bob Costas Hit Home Runs

The conversation between Hall of Fame sports journalists Sally Jenkins and Bob Costas was riveting to both sports fans and non-sports enthusiasts alike. But as many Broadway productions – and Gotham Hall is on Broadway – there was a lot of drama behind the scenes.

Sep 2025

USTA’s Bad Call on Free Speech at the US Open

The USTA’s censorship of the crowd's reaction to Trump is cowardly, hypocritical and un-American.

Aug 2025

Ten Questions to a Media Lawyer

Cowan DeBaets partner on her father's role in her decision to pursue law, AI and copyright, the Arnie Svenson case involving snapshots of NYC apartment dwellers, and the time she assisted a writer on The Good Wife.

Aug 2025

Texas Supreme Court Narrows Available Relief Under the Public Information Act

The ruling significantly narrows the enforcement mechanism of the TPIA and raises new questions about access to public records held by Texas’s most powerful elected officials.