Who decides if words are "fighting"?
Asked by: Dr. Anthony Bode DDS | Last update: February 4, 2026Score: 4.4/5 (65 votes)
Judges, juries, and the U.S. Supreme Court decide if words are "fighting words," a legal term for speech not protected by the First Amendment because it incites immediate violence or a breach of peace, determined by context, directness, and potential for a hostile reaction by an average person, not just offense.
What legally qualifies as fighting words?
The "fighting words" doctrine in U.S. law, established in Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire (1942), defines unprotected speech as words that personally insult or threaten violence, inflicts injury, or incite an immediate breach of peace, having slight social value, though courts have narrowed this to only directly confrontational, abusive language likely to provoke a reasonable person's physical retaliation. While once a broad exception, modern interpretations emphasize that speech must be a direct, face-to-face personal insult, not just offensive, to be considered fighting words and lose First Amendment protection.
What makes words "fighting words"?
Fighting words are words meant to incite violence such that they may not be protected free speech under the First Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court first defined them in Chaplinsky v New Hampshire (1942) as words which "by their very utterance, inflict injury or tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace.
Did the Supreme Court overturn the fighting words doctrine?
The Court has continued to uphold the doctrine but also steadily narrowed the grounds on which fighting words are held to apply. In Street v. New York (1969), the Court overturned a statute prohibiting flag-burning and verbally abusing the flag, holding that mere offensiveness does not qualify as "fighting words".
Can you sue someone for fighting words?
Can I sue someone for using fighting words? Yes, if the words cause you emotional distress or lead to a threat of violence, you may have grounds for a lawsuit.
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What proof do you need for verbal harassment?
Proving verbal harassment involves meticulous documentation (dates, times, exact words, context), gathering corroborating evidence like emails, texts, or screenshots, and potentially securing witness testimony or expert opinions to establish a pattern of unwelcome, intimidating, or abusive conduct, meeting the "preponderance of evidence" (more likely than not) standard in legal settings, especially when supported by digital records showing hostility.
How much money is emotional distress worth?
Emotional distress is worth a highly variable amount, ranging from a few thousand dollars for "garden variety" distress (around $30k-$50k) to hundreds of thousands or even millions for severe, life-altering conditions like PTSD, depending heavily on documented medical evidence, impact on daily life, jurisdiction, and the specific facts of the case, often calculated using multipliers of medical bills or daily rates.
Who decides what is considered hate speech?
There is no legal definition of "hate speech" under U.S. law, just as there is no legal definition for evil ideas, rudeness, unpatriotic speech, or any other kind of speech that people might condemn.
Did Johnson go to jail for burning the flag?
Johnson was eventually convicted under Texas' flag desecration law, which prohibited anyone from intentionally or knowingly desecrating a flag in a way they knew would seriously offend someone else. He was sentenced to a year in jail and fined $2,000.
What words are not protected by the First Amendment?
The categories of unprotected speech include obscenity, child pornography, defamatory speech, false advertising, true threats, and fighting words.
Are slurs protected by the First Amendment?
Because restricting speech on the basis of its content is nearly always unconstitutional, the First Amendment generally protects speech that others may find extremely offensive, including speech that may be racist, sexist, homophobic or xenophobic.
Do fighting words justify assault?
The court held that provocative words may be justification for an assault, provided the person uttering the words understood or should have understood that physical retaliation would be attempted. The words must be "fighting" words.
Can you go to jail for fighting words?
A person can be charged with disturbing the peace under California Penal Code Section 415 PC for a number of disruptive activities, including fighting, loud or unreasonable noise violations and using offensive words. Each variation of disturbing the peace requires a prosecutor to prove a unique set of factors.
What are the 5 limits to freedom of speech?
Five key limits to freedom of speech include incitement to violence, true threats, defamation, obscenity/child pornography, and speech integral to criminal conduct, all of which are generally unprotected because they cause direct harm, incite immediate illegal acts, or involve other serious offenses like fraud or perjury, despite free speech protecting even offensive or unpopular ideas.
Do words constitute assault?
As stated in Penal Code Section 240, assault is the unlawful attemptto commit an injury. This means that no actual injury is required, rather the simple attemptto commit the injury is sufficient. For example, shouting profanities at someone does not constitute assault, as mere words are not enough.
What are the two exceptions to freedom of speech?
Two major categories of speech not protected by freedom of speech are incitement to imminent lawless action (speech intended to cause immediate illegal acts) and true threats (serious expressions of intent to commit violence), with other key exceptions including defamation, obscenity, fraud, and child pornography.
What does the Supreme Court say about flag burning?
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled flag burning is a form of symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment in the landmark case Texas v. Johnson (1989), stating the government cannot prohibit expression just because society finds it offensive. This decision invalidated state laws banning flag desecration and was reaffirmed in *United States v. Eichman (1990), which struck down a federal law attempting to ban it.
What are the 5 American flag rules?
Five key American flag rules include displaying it from sunrise to sunset (or illuminated at night), ensuring it never touches the ground or anything beneath it, not using it as clothing or for advertising, keeping it clean and undamaged, and always allowing it to fly freely with the union (stars) in the upper left.
Is Texas v. Johnson still relevant today?
Yes, Texas v. Johnson remains highly relevant today, establishing that flag burning is protected symbolic speech under the First Amendment, a principle still debated and tested in modern protests, social media, and ongoing legislative attempts to ban flag desecration, underscoring enduring tensions between free expression and national symbols.
What words fall under hate speech?
Hate speech comes in many forms. It can include hatred rooted in racism (including anti-Black, anti-Asian and anti-Indigenous racism), misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia and white supremacy.
What is the Brandenburg Test?
The Brandenburg test remains the controlling standard for evaluating the limits of speech advocating for violence or unlawful conduct. It ensures that the government cannot punish speech based solely on its content or perceived offensiveness unless it poses an immediate, concrete threat of illegal activity.
Can you press charges on someone for hate speech?
So, while it may hurt and frighten people and communities, it is not a crime to speak or write words that advocate hate and bigotry. However, speech that includes a credible threat of violence against an individual or group is a crime.
Can I sue for gaslighting?
Under certain conditions, victims can take legal action and hold employers accountable for gaslighting so long as the behavior constitutes a legally enforceable type of workplace misconduct.
What proof do I need for emotional distress?
To prove emotional distress, you need objective evidence like medical records (diagnoses, therapy notes), expert testimony from mental health professionals, and documentation of physical symptoms (sleep issues, panic attacks), alongside personal journals detailing impact, and witness statements from family/friends who observed changes, all to establish a clear link between another's actions and your severe suffering. A lawyer helps gather this proof to show the distress is severe and impacts daily life, not just temporary annoyance.