First Amendment

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlines five fundamental rights that individuals have with regard to the government: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom to petition the government, and freedom of religion.

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Learn about the First Amendment's five fundamental rights, and scroll down to explore our work protecting First Amendment rights in Rhode Island through litigation, advocacy, and education.

The Latest

Know Your Rights
Protester

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Protests & Demonstrations

Know Your Rights
Students & First Amendment

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Students & The First Amendment

Know Your Rights
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Q&A: The Rhode Island "Freedom to Read" Act

Answering questions about the "Freedom to Read" Act, which was signed into law in 2025.
News & Commentary
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Court Rules in Favor of Artists, Free Speech, in Case Against the National Endowment for the Arts

Court strikes down unconstitutional grant restrictions on various legal grounds
Court Case
Jul 21, 2025

RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Court Case
Aug 08, 2025

RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence v. Bondi

A nationwide group of 17 state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, led by the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV), filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the Trump administration from imposing unlawful restrictions on grants issued by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) under the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
Court Case
Jun 13, 2025

Smith v. RI Department of Corrections

This lawsuit was filed on behalf of three Native Americans at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI), and argues that Rhode Island Department of Corrections has refused to accommodate an array of religious practices.
Court Case
Sep 19, 2025

Rhode Island Latino Arts v. National Endowment for the Arts