Professor Christine Haight Farley and Professor Michael Carroll will moderate the IP at the Supreme Court Series to discuss O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier, Lindke v. Freed, and Vidal v. Elster. American University Washington College of Law regularly invites counsel of record and counsel for selected amici to offer post-argument reflections in intellectual property (and related) cases heard by the Supreme Court. These events are held on the afternoon of oral argument before the Court.

O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier, Lindke v. Freed - October 31

Issue in O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier: Whether a public official engages in state action subject to the First Amendment by blocking an individual from the official’s personal social-media account when the official uses the account to feature their job and communicate about job-related matters with the public but does not do so pursuant to any governmental authority or duty.

Issue in Lindke v. Freed: Whether a public official’s social media activity can constitute state action only if the official used the account to perform a governmental duty or under the authority of his or her office.

Register for October 31

Vidal v. Ester – November 1

Issue: Whether the refusal to register a trademark under 15 U.S.C. § 1052(c) violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment when the mark contains criticism of a government official or public figure.

Register for November 1