Burton Joseph facts for kids

Burton Allen Joseph (born May 30, 1930, died March 31, 2010) was an important American lawyer. He was known for defending people's rights, especially their right to speak freely. He worked on many cases that helped protect the First Amendment, which is a part of the U.S. Constitution that protects freedoms like speech and religion.

A Champion for Free Speech

Burton Joseph was a special kind of lawyer called a civil rights attorney. He spent his career fighting for people's basic rights. He focused a lot on cases about free speech. This means making sure everyone has the right to express their ideas without unfair limits.

One of his big cases involved the American Library Association. He helped them in a lawsuit against the Communications Decency Act. This law tried to control what people could see online. Joseph and his team argued that the law was against the Constitution. The court agreed, and the law was found to be unconstitutional. This was a big win for internet freedom.

The Skokie Case

Burton Joseph also played a key role in a famous case involving the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). This group helps protect people's rights. A small political group wanted to march in Skokie, Illinois. Many people in Skokie did not agree with this group's views.

Joseph pushed the ACLU to defend the group's right to march. He believed that even unpopular groups have free speech rights. This case went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Court decided that the group did have the right to march. This case, called National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie, showed how important free speech is for everyone.

His Life and Work

Burton Joseph was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents ran a business that took care of Jewish cemeteries. He went to the University of Illinois for his first degree. Then, he studied law at DePaul University. He started his own law practice in Chicago soon after graduating in 1952.

Joseph worked at a law firm called Joseph, Lichtenstein & Levinson. He also helped people who were arrested during protests. For example, he defended demonstrators at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968.

Helping Comic Books and More

Burton Joseph had many different clients. One interesting client was the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. This group helps protect the rights of comic book creators and readers. Joseph helped them make sure that comic books could be published freely.

Besides his work as a lawyer, Joseph also taught law. He was a professor at the Chicago–Kent College of Law for ten years. He shared his knowledge and experience with new law students. He passed away on March 31, 2010, in San Francisco, California.