Reilly Stephens
Reilly Stephens is a Senior Counsel at Liberty Justice Center, where he assists in cases to protect the rights to free speech, economic liberty, private property, and other Constitutional rights in courts across the country.
Tim Tizon, a student at Arizona State University, was handing out pamphlets of the U.S. Constitution to students on a campus plaza when university officials ordered him to stop. When Tizon refused to move to an isolated location away from the main campus plaza, university police arrested him. Tizon was then charged with and convicted of criminal trespassing in the third degree, and was sentenced to pay a fine and complete community service—all for handing out copies of one of the nation’s founding documents to other students in a public forum.
At the time of his removal, Tizon was representing his student organization, Young Americans for Liberty (YAL). Tizon was told that his table, set up out of the way of foot traffic and displaying the YAL logo, violated university policy. ASU officials said that the location could only be used by recognized student organizations after completing paperwork and securing several levels of sign-offs from university bureaucrats. In fact, however, the North Plaza of ASU’s Tempe campus, where Tizon was located, is designated as a public forum–so Tizon had every right to hand out copies of the Constitution.
Young Americans for Liberty is a well-regarded student group on college campuses across the country, focused on helping young people advance a pro-liberty philosophy throughout college and beyond.
The Liberty Justice Center has filed an appeal to reverse Tizon’s conviction. University bureaucrats must respect students’ right to speak in public areas.
Reilly Stephens is a Senior Counsel at Liberty Justice Center, where he assists in cases to protect the rights to free speech, economic liberty, private property, and other Constitutional rights in courts across the country.
(The College Fix)—The state of Arizona has dropped all charges against former Arizona State University student Tim Tizon, the Liberty Justice Center recently confirmed to The College Fix. As an Arizona State University student and member of Young Americans for Liberty, Tizon was arrested and charged with criminal trespass in...
(The Washington Times)—Authorities have dropped all charges against an Arizona State University student who was arrested last year on trespassing charges after he set up a table to distribute copies of the Constitution without permission. Attorneys representing Tim Tizon, a senior at the time of the incident last spring, announced...
(National Review)—In a win for freedom of speech on campus, the state of Arizona has dropped all charges against Tim Tizon, a former Arizona State University student representing Young Americans for Liberty who was arrested and convicted for trespassing in March 2022 while distributing copies of the U.S. Constitution to...
(National Review)—In a promotional video made by Arizona State University (ASU), the school says that it “respects and expects free speech on all of its campuses” and is committed to “fostering the free exchange of ideas.” A case involving a student recently enrolled there raises some questions about how well...
Liberty Justice Center filed an appeal on behalf of a former Arizona State University student who was convicted of trespassing when he handed out copies of the U.S. Constitution on campus. Tim Tizon was arrested last March after he refused to stop distributing pamphlets of the Constitution while still a...
(Daily Caller)—Liberty Justice Center (LJC), a “national free speech law firm,” filed an appeal against Arizona State University (ASU) Thursday after a former student was convicted of trespassing after handing out constitutions on campus, according to Friday’s press release. Tim Tizon, a now-former Arizona State University student, was arrested in...