Lawrence G. Walters Explained

Lawrence G. Walters
Birth Date:11 November 1963[1] [2]
Birth Place:Chicago
Occupation:Attorney

Lawrence G. Walters (born 11 November 1963) is an American First Amendment attorney and anti-censorship advocate. He is the head of the Walters Law Group, focusing on First Amendment and Internet law, and has served as an adjunct professor of Legal Studies at the University of Central Florida.

Early life and education

Walters was born in and grew up in Chicago. He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1985. He received his JD from Florida State University with honors.[3]

Legal career

Walters is an expert in adult entertainment and obscenity law who represents clients in the live webcam industry.[4] He also specializes in online gaming and sports betting law.[5] [6] [7] Walters works in the field of free speech, and represents the interests of the online entertainment community, and began his career as an attorney in 1988.[8] He has defended website operators in high-profile obscenity cases.[9] [10] In 1999, Walters defended Tammy Robinson in the first obscenity case based on website content.[11] Walters has defended Chris Wilson against more than 300 obscenity charges arising from his operation of a controversial website which included images from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The case represented the first obscenity prosecution against a website based on user-generated content.[11]

In 2007, Walters defended Karen Fletcher,[12] who was charged with obscenity based on written stories published on her website in a case tested the boundaries of obscenity law.[13] In 2008, he was appointed President of the First Amendment Lawyers Association.[14] Walters also defended Clinton McCowen, where he introduced Google Trends evidence showing that online users were more interested in sexually explicit topics[15] than in generic terms like "apple pie"[16] or "watermelon." The case was settled shortly after Walters issues a subpoena to Google for supporting evidence.[17]

Walters is also known as an advocate for the free speech rights of protesters,[18] street performers,[19] and topless dancers.[20] For example, in 2006 he won an appellate court victory upholding the First Amendment right of a topless protester in Daytona Beach, Florida.[21] Walters has also worked with the online gambling industry, representing GoldenPalace.com against the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the state's efforts to seize[22] the domain based on alleged gambling violations. He has also represented internet cafes[23] in constitutional challenges[24] to local ordinances banning the use of simulated gambling devices.[25]

In 2009, Walters began representing teens accused of sex offenses based on sexting behavior[26] [27] [28] and advocating changes in states' laws relating to teen sexting.[29] Walters has also developed apps used by content producers to comply with federal age verification laws and enforce copyrights.[30]

In 2018, Walters filed a constitutional challenge to the federal law known as the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 (FOSTA), on behalf of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance, and others.[31] The plaintiffs argue that the law violates the First Amendment and puts sex workers at risk.[32] [33] [34]

External links

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: Baird . Albert Craig . Thonssen . Lester . Braden . Waldo Warder . Peterson . Owen . Representative American Speeches . 2003 . H.W. Wilson Company . en.
  2. Book: Martindale - Hubbell Law Directory 1998: With Study Guide . September 1997 . Martindale-Hubbell . 978-1-56160-249-0 . en.
  3. Book: Albert Craig Baird, Lester Thonssen, Waldo Warder Braden, Owen Peterson . Representative American Speeches, Volume 75, Issue 6 . 2003 . H.W. Wilson Company . 117.
  4. Web site: The New York Times . First Amendment Law . 2021-03-05 . 2018-06-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180618083822/http://www.firstamendment.com/the-new-york-times/ . live .
  5. Web site: Borden . Sam . Neighborhood Bookies Putting Lines Online (Published 2012) . The New York Times . 30 March 2012 . 5 March 2021 . 12 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112025609/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/sports/bookies-using-new-technology-for-old-fashioned-betting.html . live .
  6. Web site: Richtel . Matt . Poker Web Site Cheated Users, U.S. Suit Says (Published 2011) . The New York Times . 20 September 2011 . 5 March 2021 . 12 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112035932/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/business/poker-site-misused-players-money-us-says.html . live .
  7. Web site: Richtel . Matt . U.S. Cracks Down on Online Gambling (Published 2011) . The New York Times . 15 April 2011 . 5 March 2021 . 22 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210222191611/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/16/technology/16poker.html . live .
  8. Web site: Larry Walters Marks 30 Years Defending Free Speech YNOT . 29 October 2018 . 17 January 2019 . 17 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190117122327/https://www.ynot.com/larry-walters-30-years-defending-free-speech/ . live .
  9. Web site: Top vote recipients of 2006 win peer approval . www.bizjournals.com . 2012-10-25 . 2013-12-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131221042946/http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2006/11/20/focus2.html . live .
  10. Web site: Willhoit . Dana . Lawyer Has Experience With Web Obscenity Cases . The Ledger . en . 2019-01-17 . 2019-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190117122414/https://www.theledger.com/article/LK/20051125/News/608149565/LL/ . live .
  11. Web site: September 5, 2000 . Couple fights community standards in online porn case. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081201022436/http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=3692&printerfriendly=1. 2008-12-01. 2012-10-25. Associated Press.
  12. Web site: Deitch . Charlie . Dirty Words . Pittsburgh City Paper . en . 2012-10-25 . 2013-12-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131213084236/http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/dirty-words/Content?oid=1338407 . live .
  13. Web site: Lewis . Neil A. . A Prosecution Tests the Definition of Obscenity (Published 2007) . The New York Times . 28 September 2007 . 22 February 2017 . 17 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190117122411/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/28/us/28obscene.html?ex=1348718400&en=7dbb4d5def591585&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink . live .
  14. Web site: FALA Defends Our Rights . XBIZ . 5 November 2008 . en . 2019-01-17 . 2019-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190117174153/https://www.xbiz.com/features/101327/fala-defends-our-rights . live .
  15. Web site: Defense Files New Petition in Ray Guhn Case . XBIZ . 21 November 2007 . en . 2012-10-25 . 2011-10-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111020040455/http://www.xbiz.com/news/86802 . live .
  16. Web site: Citing Google, pornographer claims orgies are bigger than apple pie . Salon . en . 24 June 2008 . 25 October 2012 . 8 January 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140108131006/http://www.salon.com/2008/06/24/orgy_apple_pie/ . live .
  17. Web site: Obscenity trial? . www.newstatesman.com . en . 2012-10-25 . 2012-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120926001744/http://www.newstatesman.com/law-and-reform/2008/07/obscenity-community-google . live .
  18. Web site: The 'Naked' Truth! Protestor Wins Court Victory. . 2014-01-02. 2013-12-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20131224060521/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2006/10/24/naked-truth-protestor-wins-court-victory/. live.
  19. Web site: Street performers, ACLU team up. 10 September 2000. 25 October 2012. 12 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131212121621/http://staugustine.com/stories/091000/new_20000910.001.shtml. live.
  20. Web site: Dancers rally vs. adult club bill.
  21. Web site: Appeals court upholds woman's right to protest while topless. 12 October 2006. 25 October 2012. 18 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131218221052/http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20061012/BREAKING/61012026#gsc.tab=0. live.
  22. Web site: Judge Wingate's Decision on Internet Gambling Domains is All Symbolic Now . OSGA . 2012-10-25 . 2013-12-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131213100935/http://www.osga.com/online_gaming_articles.php?Judge-Wingate-s-Decision-on-Internet-Gambling-Domains-is-All-Symbolic-Now-10277 . live .
  23. Web site: Internet cafes take a gamble. 1 August 2012.
  24. Suit seeks halt to Hillsborough crackdown on Internet sweepstakes cafes (2011-12-11) Retrieved from http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/civil/suit-seeks-halt-to-hillsborough-crackdown-on-internet-sweepstakes-cafes/1207175 on (2014-01-03)
  25. Internet cafés still running in Seminole despite ruling supporting ban (2012-04-12)Retrieved from http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-04-04/news/os-internet-cafe-ban-seminole-20120403_1_internet-caf-allied-veterans-cafes on (2014-01-03)
  26. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-03-08/news/orl-asec-sexting-030809_1_sexting-face-child-porn-charges-nude-photos Sexting teenagers face child-porn charges(2009-03-08) Retrieved from http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-03-08/news/orl-asec-sexting-030809_1_sexting-face-child-porn-charges-nude-photos on (2014-01-03)
  27. http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/07/sexting.busts/index.html?_s=PM:CRIME 'Sexting' lands teen on sex offender list (2009-04-08) Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/07/sexting.busts/index.html?_s=PM:CRIME on (2013-12-10)
  28. Web site: Sexting Discussed on The View . Youtube.com . en . 2021-03-06 . 2017-05-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170511141005/https://www.youtube.com/v/25t79nrKkpM%26hl%3Den_US%26fs%3D1%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26autoplay%3D1 . live .
  29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AXOUhOXJNQ Lawrence Walters Comments on Florida Sexting Law (2012-01-26) Retrieved from Youtube on (2013-12-10)
  30. Web site: QuickDMCA App: Making Infringement Enforcement Easier . XBIZ . 4 November 2014 . en . 2019-01-17 . 2019-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190117122342/https://www.xbiz.com/news/187231/quickdmca-app-making-infringement-enforcement-easier . live .
  31. Web site: Court Fight Over Online Sex Trafficking Law to Echo in Congress . news.bloomberglaw.com . en . 2021-03-05 . 2021-03-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210306224712/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/court-fight-over-online-sex-trafficking-law-to-echo-in-congress . live .
  32. Web site: FOSTA Is Unconstitutional, Argue Sexual Freedom Advocates and First Amendment Lawyers in New Motion . Reason.com . 3 September 2020 . 5 March 2021 . 15 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210115143527/https://reason.com/2020/09/03/fosta-is-unconstitutional-argue-sexual-freedom-advocates-and-first-amendment-lawyers-in-new-motion/ . live .
  33. Web site: Bay Area Sex Workers Speak Out About Dangerous Conditions - . SF Weekly . 21 November 2019 . 5 March 2021 . 16 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200516075857/https://www.sfweekly.com/news/bay-area-sex-workers-speak-out-about-dangerous-conditions/ . live .
  34. News: Thebault . Reis . Florida police raid house of fired data scientist who alleged state manipulated covid-19 stats . Washington Post . 2021-03-05 . 2020-12-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201222094651/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/12/07/rebekah-jones-covid-19-dashboard-florida-desantis/ . live .

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