Snyder v. Phelps

Holding: The First Amendment protects those who stage a peaceful protest on a matter of public concern near the funeral of a military service member from tort liability.

Plain English Holding: The First Amendment protects from tort liability those who stage a peaceful protest on a matter of public concern near the funeral of a military service member.

Judgment: 4th Circuit affirmed , 8-1, in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts on March 2, 2011.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

• The Roberts Court and the First Amendment (Ronald Collins, July 9, 2013)
• Last week's opinions in Plain English (Lisa Tucker, March 6, 2011)
• Commentary: Privacy, in different settings (Lyle Denniston, March 2, 2011)
• Commentary: What role for emotion? (Lyle Denniston, October 6, 2010)
• Argument day podcasts: Snyder v. Phelps (Adam Schlossman, October 6, 2010)
• Argument preview: Protest vs. privacy (Lyle Denniston, October 4, 2010)
• Academic round-up (Amanda Frost, September 22, 2010)
• Court to rule on funeral pickets (Lyle Denniston, March 8, 2010)

Briefs and Documents

Merits Briefs

• Brief for Petitioner Albert Snyder
• Brief for Respondent Fred W. Phelps, Sr., Shirley L. Phelps-Roper, Rebekah A. Phelps-Davis, and Westboro Baptist Church, Inc.
• Reply Brief for Petitioner Albert Snyder

Amicus Briefs

• Brief for Senators Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell and 40 Other Members of the U.S. Senate in Support of Petitioner
• Brief for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States in Support of Petitioner
• Brief for the American Legion in Support of Petitioner
• Brief for the John Marshall Law School Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Support of Petitioner
• Brief for State of Kansas and 47 Other States and the District of Columbia in Support of Petitioner
• Brief for Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, The Marion B. Brechner First Amendment Project, the National Coalition Against Censorship, and the Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment in Support of Respondent
• Brief for Scholars of First Amendment Law in Support of Respondent
• Brief for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Twenty-one News Media Organizations in Support of Respondent
• Brief for Liberty Counsel in Support of Respondent
• Brief for the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland in Support of Respondent
• Brief for The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education and Law Professors Ash Bhagwat, David Post, Martin Redish, Nadine Strossen, and Eugene Volokh in Support of Respondent
• Brief for the Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence in Support of Neither Party Suggesting Reversal
• Brief for the American Center for Law and Justice in Support of Neither Party
• Brief for the Anti-Defamation League in Support of Neither Party
• Brief of the Rutherford Institute in Support of Respondents

Certiorari-Stage Documents

• Opinion Below (4th Circuit)
• Petition for Certiorari (unavailable)
• Brief in Opposition (unavailable)

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