Matt Moonin v. Kevin Tice

OPINION

BERZON, Circuit Judge:

We address a question arising out of a dispute regarding, the management of the Nevada Highway Patrol (“NHP”) canine drug interdiction program (“K9 program”) — whether a policy announced in an email sent by defendant-appellant Major Kevin Tice to NHP K9 program officers, including plaintiff-appellee Matt Moonin, violated the First Amendment by imposing an impermissible “prior restraint” on government employee speech. 1 We hold that the sweeping policy imposed by Tice’s email violated the troopers’ clearly established First Amendment rights. Accordingly, we affirm…