David Karp Files Landmark First Amendment Lawsuit Challenging Florida Book Ban for Major U.S. Publishers

Major U.S. publishers are challenging a Florida law that has led to indiscriminate book banning in school libraries in violation of the First Amendment. David Karp is representing the plaintiffs, led by Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, Sourcebooks, and HarperCollins Publishers.

The news has been picked up by major media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, as well as MSN, Law360, Publishers Weekly, BookRiot, Tampa Bay Times, World News Era, Publishing Perspectives, The Washington Post, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Independent Journal Review, Daily Business Review, The Capitolist, Florida Politics, and WMNF.

©2026 Carlton Fields, P.A. Carlton Fields practices law in California through Carlton Fields, LLP. Carlton Fields publications should not be construed as legal advice on any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general information and educational purposes only, and should not be relied on as if it were advice about a particular fact situation. The distribution of this publication is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship with Carlton Fields. This publication may not be quoted or referred to in any other publication or proceeding without the prior written consent of the firm, to be given or withheld at our discretion. To request reprint permission for any of our publications, please use our Contact Us form via the link below. The views set forth herein are the personal views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the firm. This site may contain hypertext links to information created and maintained by other entities. Carlton Fields does not control or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this outside information, nor is the inclusion of a link to be intended as an endorsement of those outside sites.