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Federal anti-obscenity statute passed
Anthony comstock was successful in passing the comstock law which had made it illegal to send obscene literature and articles for immoral use. Anything relatively related to idea of contraception or the idea of abortion through the mail. -
Bad tendency principle established
It was the first free press case within the U.S which was decided that the idea of free speech and press only could really be protected if it was a prior restraint but it cant protect against the subsequent punishment. The case was brought up since Thomas Patterson had criticized the state supreme and were convicted. -
Espionage acts
During the first world war the espionage acts had drastically suppressed and molded the ideas of "Americanization, homogenization, the coercing of patriotic support, and the rooting out of disloyalty". Clearly it did violate the 1st amendment as anyone suspected of sympathy of axis powers was arrested. To add to the espionage act the sedition act of 1918 further suppressed speech. -
Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire
Chaplinsky had called the towns sheriff a few slurs and he was later arrested on charges of intensively offensive words and annoying words to anyone who was on the street who was in public. It was ruled that his conviction was held since fighting words are outside the protection of the first amendment. -
west virginia v. barnette
Students and teachers were being punished for not saying the pledge of allegiance and keep in mind the children were often Jehovah witnesses. It was ruled in this case that it was unconstitutional to make students and teachers alike to salute the flag and say the pledge of allegiance. -
United States v. O'Brien
David O'Brien had been caught burning his draft card at a Boston court house and was later arrested on charges of mutilation of his draft card under federal law. It was ruled that it did not violate the protection of free speech and was still under arrest. -
Tinker v. Des Moines
Christopher Eckhardt had decided to protest the u.s involvement in the Vietnam. They later were sent homed since the school stated that it would be against policy to protest the war with the arm bands. The courts ruled that it was in their first amendment right to protest the war in any way they would like. -
Island Trees School District v. Pico
island trees school district had ordered some published books against the ideas of the parents. Eventually the parents took notice and they had said they were violating the first amendment since they are taking books away for no good reason. it was ruled that the books shouldn't be removed although they went against boards ideas of morality. -
Texas v. Johnson
Gregory lee Johnson had burned an american flag in protest of the Reagan administration. He was fined and got jailed, but eventually he was released as it was determined that he was indeed protected by the first amendment. -
Ashcroft v. ACLU
Child Online Protection Act (COPA) to prevent minors from accessing pornography online. It was said that many online publishers sued for violating the first amendment. A third court circuit had stated it was within community standards to define what was harmful to a minor. it was ruled that COPA was indeed effective at reducing the amount of harmful images or content to a minor in an almost split decision 5-4.
