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Principles Limiting Recovery Against Undercover Investigators In Ag-Gag States: Law, Policy And Logic, 50 J. Marshall L. Rev. 649 (2017), Sarah Hanneken

UIC Law Review

This Comment explores the history and purpose of ag-gag legislation as well as its constitutional shortcomings, particularly with regard to damages. Using North Carolina’s recent ag-gag efforts to silence whistleblowers as an effective case study, this Comment explains how free-speech protections, public policy, and causation principles all limit the monetary damages recoverable against undercover investigators. It begins in Part II with a history of undercover investigations and their role in confronting systemic exploitation within various industries. It then describes how these industries have responded to the unwanted attention by turning to the courts and legislatures for redress. It is in …