Eight years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court created a legal minefield for public employees seeking First Amendment protection from employer retaliation for their speech. On Thursday, the justices cleared some of the debris, but still left millions—from police to academics—wondering whether they are protected.
The justices unanimously held in Lane v. Franks that the First Amendment protects public employees who, outside the course of their ordinary job responsibilities, testify truthfully under a subpoena.
