When the book is written on the legacy of the Roberts era at the United States Supreme Court, there will many chapters weaving together the cases presented over its years. But, if the Court continues its present trajectory, one very thick chapter of that tome will be its expansive First Amendment jurisprudence.
Today, in McCullen v. Coakley, the high Court struck down as unconstitutional the Massachusetts law establishing a thirty-five-foot fixed buffer zone around abortion clinics, a clear vindication of First Amendment rights. Indeed, it gives much more free speech elbow room than provided in a similar context in 2000 in Hill v. Colorado. (Read an analysis of that contrast here.)
The McCullen decision comes, of course, on the heels of the twin First Amendment wins by Finney Law Firm client, COAST against the Ohio Elections Commission this past week and the expansive campaign finance decision in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decided in April.
In 2010, the Court released its landmark decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission.
This blog entry from one year ago explores the Roberts legacy (so far) on the First Amendment.
Whatever else this Court stands for, it clearly has embraced the First Amendment.
The Finney Law Firm is pleased to be a practice leader in the First Amendment arena.