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Martin v. City of Struthers
In 1943 a woman from Ohio by the name of Thelma Martin went knocking on doors to pass out Jehovah's Witness leaflets to people in her city. Martin's visits were not well received by some households which led to her arrest. The court held that a law prohibiting the distribution of leaflets from door to door violated the First Amendment rights of a Jehovah's Witness specifically their freedom of speech. The ruling was 5-4 and deemed trespassing laws a better fit for the town imposing the ordinance -
Feiner v. New York
In 1949, Irving Feiner made an inflammatory speech on a street corner in Syracuse, New York. Feiner made several disparaging remarks about local politicians, organizations, and President Truman. Two officers on the scene asked Feiner to end his speech. After he refused, the officers arrested Feiner for encouraging a breach of the peace. The Court found that Feiner's First Amendment rights were not violated because his arrest came when the police thought that a riot might occur. -
Adderley v. Florida
In 1966, a group of students from Florida A&M University demonstrated against racial segregation and were subsequently arrested. The next day 200 students gathered in front of the Leon County jail to protest their arrest. 100 students refused to leave and were arrested for trespassing. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the trespassing conviction in a 5–4 decision. The majority opinion argued that county jails were not public places and so it did not infringe on their right to assembly. -
Police Department of the City of Chicago v. Mosley
Chicago adopted an ordinance prohibiting picketing within 150 feet of a school during school hours; the law made an exception for peaceful labor picketing. Mosley had been picketing near a public high school; he was protesting "black discrimination." Mosley sought a declaration that the ordinance was unconstitutional. The exemption for labor picketing violated the equal protection clause. -
Lynch v. Donnelly
The city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, annually erected a Christmas display located in the city's shopping district. The display included such objects as a Santa Claus house, a Christmas tree, a banner reading "Seasons Greetings," and a nativity scene. The creche had been included in the display for over 40 years. Daniel Donnelly objected to the display and took action against Dennis Lynch, the Mayor of Pawtucket. The Court held that the symbols posed no danger of establishing a state church. -
Rosenberger v. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
Ronald W. Rosenberger, a Virginia State University student, asked the University for $5,800 from a student activities fund to sponsor the publishing costs of Wide Awake: A Christian Perspective at the University of Virginia. The University refused to provide funding for the publication solely because it "primarily promotes or manifests a particular belief." The Court concluded that the University could not stop all funding of religious speech. -
Hill v. Colorado
A Colorado statute makes it unlawful for any person within 100 feet of a health care facility's entrance to "knowingly approach" within 8 feet of another person, without that person's consent. Leila Hill is a sidewalk counselor who offers other options to women about abortion and was claiming violations of their First Amendment free speech rights and right to a free press. The Court held that the Colorado statute's restrictions on speech-related conduct are constitutional. -
McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky
The American Civil Liberties Union sued three Kentucky counties in the federal district court for displaying framed copies of the Ten Commandments in courthouses and public schools. The ACLU argued the displays violated the First Amendment's establishment clause, which prohibits the government from passing laws "respecting an establishment of religion." The majority held that the displays violated the establishment clause because their purpose had been to advance religion. -
Guiles v. Marineau
Plaintiff Zachary Guiles, a 13-year-old student at Williamstown Middle School, claims his right under the First Amendment to wear a T-shirt depicting President George W. Bush in an inappropriate way. The shirt displays images of drugs and alcohol. The United States District Court held the school's censorship, acceptable of Guiles's First Amendment rights. The district court also ordered that the disciplinary action defendants took against the plaintiff be expunged from his school record. -
Town of Greece v. Galloway
In Greece, New York, public meetings began with a prayer given by an invited member. The town did not adopt any rules as to who may lead the prayer. In 2007, Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens complained about the town's prayer practices. They sued the town, J. Auberger and argued that the town's practices violated the Establishment Clause, by favoring Christianity. The Court held that the First Amendment suggested that the Establishment Clause was never meant to forbid legislative prayer.
