A Federal Judge Cancels Bench Trial and Deadlines in Arkansas Library Censorship Law Case
In a recent development, a federal judge has canceled a bench trial and all other deadlines in a lawsuit challenging a statewide library censorship law passed by the Arkansas General Assembly in 2023. This decision will allow the judge more time to rule on summary judgment motions from both sides, with a potential ruling expected by Thanksgiving.
The challenged law, Act 372, has been put on hold as the case progresses. The lawsuit, brought by plaintiffs including the Central Arkansas Library System and the Fayetteville Public Library, questions the constitutionality of the statute. The ruling in this case comes on the heels of another federal judge ordering Crawford County officials to stop segregating library books with LGBTQ+ themes into a special section with stigmatizing color labels.
The cancelation of the bench trial comes as a surprise, with the trial originally scheduled to begin in December in Fayetteville. While attorney Bettina Brownstein declined to comment on any ongoing negotiations, the decision to postpone the trial signifies the importance of the summary judgment motions in this case.
This ruling is a significant step in a legal battle that addresses issues of censorship and access to information in Arkansas libraries. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for libraries and freedom of expression in the state.
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