FAN 65.1 (First Amendment News) Court vacates & remands three 1-A cases

When it issued its orders list today, the Supreme Court did the following:

1. In Berger v. American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina it granted the petition for certiorari; the judgment is vacated, and the case is remanded to the United States Court of of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for further consideration in light of Walker v. Sons of Confederate Veterans (2015).
2. In Thayer v. City of Worcester the petition certiorari was granted; the judgment is vacated, and the case is remanded to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit for further consideration in light of Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), and
3. In Central Radio Co., Inc. v. City of Norfolk the petition certiorari was granted;the judgment is vacated, and the case is remanded to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for further consideration in light of Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015).

The Court’s 2014-2015 Free Expression Docket

[last updated: 6-29-15 — what remains on the docket will either be resolved at “clean up” conference this Term or dealt with in late September when the Court has a “long conference.”]

Cases Decided 

1. Elonis v. United States (argue: 12-1-14 / decided: June 1, 2015) (8-1 per Roberts) (statutory-based ruling)
2. Williams-Yulee v. The Florida Bar (argued: Jan. 20, 2015 / decided: April 29, 2015) (5-4 per Roberts)
3. Walker v. Sons of Confederate Veterans (argued 3-23-15 / decided 6-18-15) (5-4 per Breyer)
4. Reed v. Town of Gilbert (argued 1-12-15 / decided 6-18-15) (9-0 per Thomas)

Pending Petitions*

1. Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, et al. (4-27-15: The Court asked the Calif. AG to respond to the petition)
2. Center for Competitive Politics v. Harris (emergency application for injunction pending Cert.)

Review Denied*

1. Walker-McGill v. Stuart
2. O’Keefe v. Chisholm
3. King v. Christie
4. Apel v. United States 
5. Dariano v. Morgan Hill Unified School District
6. The Bronx Household of Faith v. Board of Education of the City of New York 
7. Arneson v. 281 Care Committee
8. Kagan v. City of New Orleans
9. ProtectMarriage.com-Yes on 8 v. Bowen
10. Clayton v. Niska
11. Pregnancy Care Center of New York v. City of New York 
12. City of Indianapolis, Indiana v. Annex Books, Inc.
13. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. v. United States 
14. Mehanna v. United States
15. Stop This Insanity Inc Employee Leadership Fund et al  v. Federal Election Commission
16. Vermont Right to Life Committee, et al v. Sorrell

* Though these lists are not comprehensive, I try to track as many cases as possible. If you know of a cert. petition that is not on these lists, kindly inform me and I will post it.