A North Carolina county board has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit after a resident was ejected from a public meeting and banned for three months simply for mentioning the names of government officials.
The Liberty Justice Center announced Wednesday that a deal had been reached in Campbell v. Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners, ending a legal dispute that centered on the right to criticize public servants during open forums.
The conflict began during an April 15, 2024, general session. Resident James Campbell took to the podium to voice concerns regarding alleged misconduct within the county’s Department of Social Services and Child Protective Services. During his comments, Campbell referred to specific county officials by name.
READ: Appeals Court Sides With AG Pam Bondi, Ends Woman’s 28-Year Battle Against Deportation
Board members halted his speech, removed him from the meeting, and subsequently issued a 90-day ban preventing him from attending future gatherings. Officials claimed at the time that naming specific employees violated the board’s public comment policy, though the lawsuit alleged the board refused to provide Campbell with a written copy of those guidelines despite his repeated requests.
Attorneys for Campbell filed suit in U.S. District Court last November, arguing that the removal and the ban violated his First Amendment rights to free speech and to petition the government.
Under the terms of the settlement, the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners does not admit to any liability or wrongdoing. However, the Board agreed to several remedial measures. Officials must publicly acknowledge that they “incorrectly outlined” the terms of the Public Participation Policy during the April meeting.
Furthermore, the county has agreed to institute mandatory training regarding the application of public comment policies for all new commissioners upon their election or appointment. In a notable concession, the training materials used for these sessions were approved by both the Liberty Justice Center and Mr. Campbell.
READ: Florida Sen. Moody Joins Push To Shield Medical Residents From Forced Abortion Training
“This settlement does well to protect the First Amendment rights of all Cabarrus County residents,” said Brendan Philbin, Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center. “The training materials put the Board of Commissioners on notice that civic-minded citizens like Mr. Campbell may not be silenced or banned from public meetings for respectfully criticizing government officials and commenting on matters of public interest.”
This case adds to a string of recent First Amendment disputes in North Carolina handled by the Liberty Justice Center. The group recently challenged a City of Monroe policy requiring residents to publicly announce their home addresses before speaking at council meetings and defended a Davidson County high school student suspended for a classroom question regarding “illegal aliens.”
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
