Sherrill v. Knight
569 F.2d 124 (D.C. Cir. 1977)Established that White House press credentials constitute a protected liberty interest under the First and Fifth Amendments. Government must publish explicit standards, provide timely written notice of rejection grounds, and give journalists an opportunity to respond in writing.
Karem v. Trump
960 F.3d 656 (D.C. Cir. 2020)Held that the Executive branch cannot penalize or suspend a journalist’s hard pass based on vague, post-hoc standards of "decorum" or "professionalism" without fair prior notice of what conduct would trigger revocation.
CNN v. Trump
345 F. Supp. 3d 96 (D.D.C. 2018)Granted temporary restraining order reinstating correspondent's hard pass within days of revocation because the administration completely bypassed Fifth Amendment due process notice and rebuttal safeguards.
Perry Educ. Ass'n v. Perry Local
460 U.S. 37 (1983)Even in limited or designated public fora, speech restrictions must be viewpoint-neutral. Singling out specific media outlets based on critical reportage constitutes unlawful viewpoint discrimination.