gag order abuse

Ulster County’s Family Court is back in the spotlight, and Judge Jacqueline Racciani—now branded “Whacky Jacky” by watchdogs—is at the center of a constitutional firestorm. Her sweeping gag orders, issued from a courthouse that is legally a public forum, have ignited outrage from civil liberties advocates who say she is trampling the First Amendment with reckless abandon. Critics argue she is running a private courtroom in open defiance of state law, targeting parents, attorneys, journalists, and even observers like advocate Dave Weigel. The Blog’s legal team calls her rulings “prior restraints in robes”—and a threat to every New Yorker’s rights.