Va. Const. art. I, § 12
- Constitution
- Constitution of Virginia
- Text as of
- October 2026
What does this section say?
That the freedoms of speech and of the press are among the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained except by despotic governments; that any citizen may freely speak, write, and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right; that the General Assembly shall not pass any law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, nor the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for the redress of grievances.
The text is copied from the official source: law.lis.virginia.gov. This is the stored text for research. It is not legal advice; check the official source before you rely on it.