Amicus Brief A submission to the court from an amicus curiae, or "friend of the court," an
interested individual or organization who is not party in the case.
Judicial Review Review by the US Supreme Court of the constitutional validity of a
legislative act.
Common Law Unwritten, judge made law consisting of rules and principles developed
through custom and precedent
Civil Law Deals with behavior that constitutes an injury to an individual or other private
party like a corporation
Defamation Act of harming or ruining another's reputation
FIRAC A method used to analyze cases; stands for facts, issues, rules and references,
analysis, and conclusions
Chapter 2
, JRN 430 Midterm Questions And Answers
Means of Censorship Direct and Visible
- direct violence/intimidation of journalists
- lawsuits/threat of lawsuits
Direct and Stealthy
- Bribing
Indirect and Visible
- controlling access to inputs
financial pressures
Indirect and Stealthy
-purchases of independent media companies by government
Values of Free Speech Individual liberty, self-government, limited government power,
attainment of truth, safety valve, its own end
Strict Scrutiny A Supreme Court test to see if a law denies equal protection because it
does not serve a compelling state interest and is not narrowly tailored to achieve that goal