Tag Archives: Supreme Court

“The fringe cult calling itself Westboro Baptist (a small congregation consisting of close, and possibly incestuous, relatives of Fred Phelps, who calls himself a pastor) first became famous by protesting gay rights events with revolting signs suggesting that God hates gay people. (They used another offensive terms as well). These ugly signs proved irresistible to reporters from the New York …

“This [Westboro] ruling is important for many reasons. First and foremost, it preserves the primacy of free speech in America, which benefits us all. But from a parochial pro-LGBT narrative, it’s equally important to note that it proves the lie to the multiple instances when anti-gay activists falsely claimed that advances in LGBT equality and protections — whether they come …

The Supreme Court today ruled 8-1 to overturn a $5M judgment against Westboro Baptist Church, saying that the First Amendment protects their right to picket the funerals of military members. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: “Speech is powerful. It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and– as it did here– inflict great …

“It would be easy to spin yesterday’s news about the Supreme Court as a victory for same-sex ‘marriage.’ (So easy, in fact, that homosexual activists are already doing it!) But there was a lot more behind this case than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on D.C.’s counterfeit marriage law. When the justices announced that they wouldn’t hear Bishop Harry Jackson’s …

(Tipped by JMG reader Miranda)

Just in from Catholics For The Common Good: “It is shocking that the U.S. Supreme Court did not accept the appeal of District of Columbia citizens who were deprived of their right to vote on the definition of marriage. The Court’s decision effectively upheld the finding of the Washington Human Rights Commission that it would be discriminatory to even give …

According to the Supreme Court’s public docket, the nine justices have scheduled a Friday meeting to discuss Jackson v. the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics, Bishop Harry Jackson’s lawsuit demanding that DC residents be allowed to vote on same-sex marriage. The Court is expected to announced on Monday if they will hear the case. Lou Chibarro reports at the …

(Via – Right Wing Watch)

Speaking on Friday at the University of Richmond, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia denounced the concept of a “living Constitution” and said the 14th Amendment was not written with the intent of granting equal protection to ALL Americans. Just the heterosexual ones. “The due process clause has been distorted so it’s no longer a guarantee of process but a guarantee …

The Supreme Court has refused to vacate the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal’s indefinite stay of the overturn of DADT. The vacate request was filed on behalf of the Log Cabin Republicans, who last month convinced District Court Judge Virginia Phillips to declare DADT to be unconstitutional. Via SCOTUSblog: Without noting a dissent, but with Justice Kagan not taking part, …

Today the Department of Justice filed a brief in opposition to the Log Cabin Republicans’ request that the U.S. Supreme Court hear the LCR’s appeal of the Ninth Circuit Court’s indefinite stay on the overturn of DADT. Whew! Got all that? The Log Cabin Republicans respond to this latest bit of legal ping-pong. “It is unfortunate the Obama Justice Department …

The Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of Lisa Miller, the “ex-gay” biological mother who lost custody of her daughter to her former partner. The justices on Monday turned down an appeal from Lisa Miller, the biological mother of an 8-year-old girl. Miller wanted the court to undo a Virginia court decision allowing Janet Jenkins visitation rights with …

Today the Log Cabin Republicans turned to the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to overturn the Ninth Circuit Court’s indefinite stay of Judge Virginia Phillips’ overturn of DADT. From the LCR’s law firm of Dan Woods, White & Case: “We have today filed an application with the United States Supreme Court asking it to vacate the Ninth Circuit’s order …

Good As You has an email from Shirley Phelps about her time before the Court yesterday. It begins: I am floating home on a cloud of euphoria. We got to tell the conscience of Doomed america that if they would stop with the proud sin the soldiers would stop dying. Alito was a serious disappointment. I don’t know why I …

The Westboro Baptist Church picketed the White House yesterday in advance of their appearance before the Supreme Court today where the father of a slain U.S. Marine is asking that his $5M judgment against the Phelps family be reinstated. Albert Snyder, of York, Pa., took legal action after church members picketed the funeral of his son. “My son and the …

Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled that video taken during the Proposition 8 trial may not ever be released. The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the 9th Circuit to dismiss as moot a dispute over the release of videotape from the trial overturning Proposition 8, California’s voter-approved ban on gay marriage. Prop 8 supporters had sought to block the retention and …

Speaking to a San Francisco law school on Friday, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said that the U.S. Constitution does not guarantee gay people protection against discrimination. And the same goes for women. “If the current society wants to outlaw discrimination by sex, you have legislatures,” Scalia said during a 90-minute question-and-answer session with a professor at UC Hastings College …