Democracy, Defamation Law, and the First Amendment

In the face of hostile political rhetoric and the spread of misinformation, some advocates are looking to defamation law as a way to crack down on damaging speech. Others fear that defamation suits are being weaponized to target disfavored speech. In the wake of several recent high-profile defamation suits, this program will explore how the law balances robust protection for political speech against protection for reputation.

This event will be put on by the First Amendment Clinic at Washington University who represents civil rights claims for violations of First Amendment rights, challenging overly broad or vague laws that restrict speech, defending clients in defamation suits, assisting journalists in challenging denials of public records requests, and advocating for the public’s right to access court records and proceedings.