Arrested — for telling lawyer jokes?

It happened at the First District courthouse in Long Island: Nassau County court spokesman Dan Bagnuola says Harvey Kash, 69, and Carl Lanzisera, 65, of the gadfly group Americans for Legal Reform, were charged with disorderly conduct because they were “being abusive and they were causing a disturbance,” while Kash and Lanzisera said all they were doing was telling a lawyer joke (the “his lips are moving” one) while standing in line to get into the courthouse. “The pair said that for years they have stood outside courthouses on Long Island and mocked lawyers.” An attorney reported them to the guards. (“Pair arrested for telling lawyer jokes at Long Island courthouse”, AP/Newsday, Jan. 12; L.A. Times; South Florida Sun-Sentinel). Eugene Volokh has some analysis of the First Amendment issues. More watch-what- you-say- about-lawyers stories: Dec. 23 and links from there. Updates: Jan. 14, Jan. 30.

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