Article Title

The Fourth Circuit's Narrow Definition of "Matters of Public Concern" Denies State-Employed Academics Their Say: Urofsky v. Gilmore

Authors

Michael D. Hancock, University of Richmond

Abstract

While attempting to limit potential sexual harassment suits against the Commonwealth of Virginia, and also promote workplace efficiency, the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation prohibiting state employees from accessing information containing sexual content from state-owned or leased computers without obtaining prior approval from their agency heads. Urofsky v. Gilmore concerns a suit brought by six faculty members employed by several state universities in federal district court alleging that the legislation infringed on their First Amendment free speech rights by unconstitutionally limiting their abilities to perform their jobs. Although the district court found for the plaintiffs, that decision was reversed on appeal, leaving the statute intact.

Recommended Citation

Michael D. Hancock, The Fourth Circuit's Narrow Definition of "Matters of Public Concern" Denies State-Employed Academics Their Say: Urofsky v. Gilmore, 6 Rich. J.L. & Tech 11 (1999).
Available at: https://scholarship.richmond.edu/jolt/vol6/iss2/8