Legal Issue/Case Reports Assignments and Due Dates

Below is a list of "Legal Issues/Case Report" that were assigned on the first day of class. This are individual assignments. Each student is to turn in a 2-4 page report with citations on the subject assigned. The report may be oral or can be a PowerPoint presentation. Handouts are encouraged. You must be prepared to answer questions from the class on the subject. Note: These reports come from the first-day PowerPoint lecture where we were investigating legal issues and supreme court ruling that impact media law.

(1) NY Times v. U.S., 1971 - Kristie Vela, due Monday June 22

(2) Wooley v. Maynard, 1977 (Compelled Speech) -Mary Beth Cleavlin, due Tuesday, June 23.

(3) Tinker v. Des Moines, 1969 (Symbolic Speech) - Erika Hernandez, due Tuesday, June 16.

(4) Kaelin v. Globe Communications Corp., 1998 (Libel, defamation) - Katherine Robinette, due Wednesday, June 17.

(5) Westboro Baptist Church (proposed law in Montana, SB 15, banning picketing) - Devina Arredondo, due Friday, June 19.

(6) Sheppard v. Maxwell, 1966 (Pretrial publicity) - Lisa Lane, due Wednesday, June 24.

(7) Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams (Public figures) - David Mendez, due Thursday June 25.

(8) Flag burning, right or wrong? Is it unpatriotic? - Gregory Stelfox, due Thursday, June 18.

(9) Is Freedom Absolute? Can you yell "fire!" in a crowded theatre? - Ray Hudson, due Friday, June 26.

(10) Write a story that class the mayor of ??? city a lying cheat and back it up somehow. Is it libelous? Why or Why Not? - Yamira Gonzalez-Mendiola, due Monday, June 29.

(11) Write a column, editorial, criticizing some phase of government (federal, state or local). Be touch. Is it libelous? Why or Why not? - Lance Catchings, due Tuesday, June 30.

(12) Is Advertising protected by the First Amendment? What does it mean when people say "commercial speech"? What is meant by "corporate speech"? What is an advertorial?, Sasha Rodriguez, due Wednesday, July 1.

(13)During the 1970s, the Supreme Court reviewed Frist Amendment status of college students in two important cases. Please review those cases (and others related) and report if they are still applicable. The two cases are Heady v. James (1972) and Papish v. University of Missouri Curators (1973). Also, please report what is a "free speech zone" for public universities and public schools. - Brent C. Walker, due Thursday, July 2.