MADISON, Wis. — A trial date of June 22, 2026, has been set for the civil lawsuit filed by veteran communications professor Joe Gow against the University of Wisconsin board of regents, which fired him for creating and appearing in adult content.
Magistrate Judge Anita Marie Boor set the date for the jury trial in a preliminary pretrial conference order.
Gow was fired in September 2024 after a protracted battle with the university, sparked by the revelation that he and his wife had posted their own amateur adult videos online. The school first removed Gow from his position as chancellor and stripped him of tenure before ultimately terminating his employment.
At the time, Gow stated, “We look forward to defending our rights in a court of law, before an impartial judge or jury. We seek not only to protect our own rights, but to protect free speech and expression for all Americans.”
Gow’s complaint alleges that the UW board of regents fired him “because it disliked his participation in and production of his ‘Sexy Happy Couple’ videos,” and that this violated the First Amendment because the content they created was protected speech. It asks the court to order the board to reinstate Gow as a tenured professor and award him damages.