A new ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit revived a case that claimed a county sheriff violated free-speech rights by deleting comments and banning a user from a public Facebook page it created and maintained.

And now attorney JT Morris, who represents Deanna Robinson, the plaintiff in the case, said the ruling could have wide implications as public officials increasingly use social media to engage with their constituents. Morris said the ruling will help guide public officials on how to use social media without running afoul of the First Amendment's prohibition on government officials suppressing speech.

“We're certainly looking forward to going back to the district court, so Mrs. Robinson can further protect her First Amendment rights,” said Morris, an attorney at JT Morris Law in Austin.