In the conclusion of the Sullivan v. New York Times Case Brief, we pick up where the chaos left off—inside an Alabama courtroom that somehow decided the First and Fourteenth Amendments didn’t apply. From there, we follow the case through the Alabama Supreme Court and straight to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the Justices finally step in and do what the state court refused to do: follow the Constitution.

We then read and discuss the Supreme Court’s 9–0 rejection of the state court and Sullivan, and explain the new rule: public officials can’t recover for defamation, even if the speech is false, unless they prove actual malice—knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard for the truth.

Join us as we examine the Supreme Court decision that ensured the breathing room the First Amendment needs to survive, even when speech is false, uncomfortable, or unpopular.

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice or any lawyer client relationship.The information is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. THESE ARE JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

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In this Case Brief, we talk defamation and Sullivan v. New York Times, the Supreme Court decision that reshaped defamation law. But you can’t talk about defamation without first talking about the First Amendment. We begin by breaking down the scope of the First Amendment, including the protections—and limits—of the Free Speech Clause.

We then turn to the historical background of the case and the United States in the early 1960s. Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement, we examine how a single full-page New York Times advertisement supporting Martin Luther King Jr., and the Greensboro Four Woolworth sit-ins, triggered a coordinated effort by Alabama officials to sue Northern newspapers for defamation in an attempt to silence criticism from the North.

Finally, we dive into the Alabama jury trial that resulted in a verdict for Sullivan and an award equivalent to nearly $3 million against the New York Times and we read one of the craziest f-ing things ever said by a trial judge from the bench. Join us as we unpack the case that explains why public figures cannot sue their way out of criticism, and why the First Amendment still matters even when speech untrue.

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice or any lawyer client relationship.The information is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. THESE ARE JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

Reach out or follow us:

gavelandgossip@yahoo.com

Instagram: @gavel_and_gossip

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Leslie's Instagram: @lesliecaesq

Kristan's Instagram: @krush18

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Links, episode information, documents and pictures credits can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/gavelandgossip/home

In the conclusion of our Donaldson v. O’Connor Case Brief, we break down the Supreme Court’s narrow but powerful ruling: the government cannot lock away a non-dangerous person simply because they are mentally ill, different, or inconvenient. We explore the Fifth Circuit’s controversial “quid pro quo” theory and the rejection of the “quid pro quo” theory, and the Court’s ultimate focus on liberty and due process over treatment.

Join us as we dive in and examine the Supreme Court’s language about freedom, stigma, and public intolerance, due process, and what the decision in Donaldson v. O’Connor did and did not change with respect to the civil commitment of non-dangerous, non-violent mentally ill individuals, and whether it is fair to hold the doctors personally liable for the understaffing and failure of the government to provide for individuals in state-run mental institutions.

This episode is about protections of the constitution, institutional power, and the uncomfortable truth that without due process protections, anyone could lose their freedom.

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice or any lawyer client relationship.The information is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. THESE ARE JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

Reach out or follow us:

gavelandgossip@yahoo.com

Instagram: @gavel_and_gossip

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Leslie's Instagram: @lesliecaesq

Kristan's Instagram: @krush18

Links, episode information, documents and pictures credits can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/gavelandgossip/home

In this episode, we dive into the haunting true story behind Donaldson v. O’Connor — the landmark civil rights case that exposed how the state can strip someone of freedom who was never dangerous and committed no crime. From brutal 1950s psychiatric institutions to constitutional law, we discuss how Kenneth Donaldson was civilly committed, denied care, ignored by doctors, and trapped for 14 years in a Florida mental hospital rife with abuse, where he received no treatment. But he fought back.

Join us to discuss involuntary commitment, due process, constitutional power, civil liberties, and how Donaldson’s fight resulted in protections for everyone who may have been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice or any lawyer client relationship.The information is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. THESE ARE JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

Reach out or follow us:

gavelandgossip@yahoo.com

Instagram: @gavel_and_gossip

TikTok: @gavel.gossip

Leslie's Instagram: @lesliecaesq

Kristan's Instagram: @krush18

Links, episode information, documents and pictures credits can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/gavelandgossip/home

This Gossip Corner, we chat about Sean Combs: The Reckoning, the Netflix documentary produced by 50 Cent that shot to the top of the charts. We walk through the series from start to finish—from Combs’s childhood and rise at Uptown and Bad Boy Records to the deaths, feuds, and allegations that have followed him for decades.

We react to the documentary’s exploration of Sean Combs’ background, lawsuit, the interviews with former insiders, artists, and associates, and the claims tying Combs to industry violence, intimidation, and long-buried secrets. We also get into the most jaw-dropping moments, the people who chose to speak on camera, and why this documentary feels less like a single scandal and more like a reckoning years in the making.

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice or any lawyer client relationship.The information is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. THESE ARE JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

Reach out or follow us:

gavelandgossip@yahoo.com

Instagram: @gavel_and_gossip

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Leslie's Instagram: @lesliecaesq

Kristan's Instagram: @krush18

Links, episode information, documents and pictures credits can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/gavelandgossip/home

In the final Karen Read episode (for now!) we discuss the current status of O’Keefe v. Read and Read v. Everyone. We break down the discovery disputes in O’Keefe v. Read, including Read’s attempts to obtain all documents found on former Trooper Proctor’s phone and to depose Proctor, as well as the O’Keefes’ motion to force Karen Read to change her answer about who she believes killed John O’Keefe at 34 Fairview Road. We then discuss how and why the police officers sued by Karen Read moved that case to federal court. And yes—we’re sad there will be no cameras in the courtroom, too!

Tune in and let us know what you think about where this case is headed—and whether you believe the truth is finally getting closer.

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice or any lawyer client relationship.The information is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. THESE ARE JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

Reach out or follow us:

gavelandgossip@yahoo.com

Instagram: @gavel_and_gossip

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Leslie's Instagram: @lesliecaesq

Kristan's Instagram: @krush18

Links, episode information, documents and pictures credits can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/gavelandgossip/home

In this episode, we go back in time to look at the statements made before and after Karen Read’s trial about the cause of John O’Keefe’s death, before the FBI got involved—statements that have since aged very poorly, turned out to be completely wrong, and, in hindsight, were incredibly foolish.

We also dig into the FBI investigation into the Canton police and what the FBI concluded happened to John O’Keefe, and what didn’t happen—like being struck by a car. Then we give an update on the consequences for those involved in the bungled investigation. Spoiler: the consequences don’t exactly match the actions, except for Proctor, who both got what he deserved and was used as a scapegoat for the Canton police.

This episode is part legal analysis, part historical analysis, and part two best friends just trying to understand how a police department could be this bad at investigating the death of one of their own. Tune in and tell us your thoughts on this wild case!

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice or any lawyer client relationship.The information is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. THESE ARE JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

Reach out or follow us:

gavelandgossip@yahoo.com

Instagram: @gavel_and_gossip

TikTok: @gavel.gossip

Leslie's Instagram: @lesliecaesq

Kristan's Instagram: @krush18

Links, episode information, documents and pictures credits can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/gavelandgossip/home

In this episode we read through Karen Read’s civil complaint, laying out the alleged conspiracy to violate her constitutional rights, what she claims happened to John O’Keefe, the shifting stories, hidden late-night calls, missing evidence, and an investigation that never truly investigated.

We discuss the cover-up alleged in the complaint step by step—including the 2:27 a.m. search, “hos long to die in cold,” the hidden late-night phone calls, and the inverted sallyport video. Then we explain why details like these sit at the core of Karen Read’s Section 1983 and conspiracy claims.

Follow along as we unpack the filings, facts, and legal drama in Karen Read’s civil case.

The information provided in this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content should not be construed as legal advice or any lawyer client relationship.The information is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. THESE ARE JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

Reach out or follow us:

gavelandgossip@yahoo.com

Instagram: @gavel_and_gossip

TikTok: @gavel.gossip

Leslie's Instagram: @lesliecaesq

Kristan's Instagram: @krush18

Links, episode information, documents and pictures credits can be found at: https://sites.google.com/view/gavelandgossip/home