On January 26, 2023, LJC, a national free speech law firm, filed an appeal on behalf of Tim Tizon, an Arizona State University student who was arrested and convicted of trespassing for distributing copies of the U.S. Constitution to his fellow students on campus. A member of his university’s Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) student organization, Tizon set up a small, foldable table with his organization’s logo in the North Plaza on ASU’s Tempe campus. Out of the way of major foot traffic, he handed out pamphlet copies of the Constitution to students passing by, but then was approached by University officials, who told him his set up violated the ASU reservation policy. When Tim refused to move to an isolated location designated as a “free speech zone,” the officials arrested him for trespassing and forcibly removed him from the location.
Tizon was convicted in University Lakes Justice Court, and ordered to pay a fine and perform community service. He is now appealing to the Maricopa County Circuit Court with pro bono representation from the Liberty Justice Center, whose attorneys are working tirelessly to reverse Tizon’s conviction so others like him never live in fear that they will be silenced on their campuses.
The Liberty Justice Center is representing Tizon in State of Arizona v. Tizon.