Good News! A Halloween Sign the Supreme Court Won’t Hear.
Just in! The Supreme Court of the United States today declined Missouri’s request to review a ruling striking down the state’s requirement that people on the sex-offender registry post a “No candy or treats at this residence” sign on Halloween.
Justice Samuel Alito said he would have granted review. But that’s just a vote to hear the case, not a decision on the merits. The bottom line is that the Eighth Circuit’s ruling that forcing a registrant to display the state’s message violated the First Amendment will stand!
This is great news for the plaintiff (obviously) and great news for Janice Bellucci, the plaintiff’s attorney and executive director of the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws (ACSOL). This is also good news for registrants in the 8th Circuit who now have this precedent. It’s also good news for registrants across the United States facing similar requirements and who are similarly situated to the Plaintiff (Note, before anyone asks if this makes any difference in Florida – it’s not binding, but it’s persuasive).
The extent of the order is: 26-34 HANAWAY, ATT’Y GEN. MO., ET AL. V. SANDERSON, THOMAS The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied. Justice Alito would grant the petition for a writ of certiorari.
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Thank goodness. I was sohhhh disappointed our states AG put his name on this.
Since this is how the US Supreme Court judged, it is also compelled speech for everyone on the registry who has a sign ‘sexual predator’,etc. posted in their yard by the sheriff’s office.
It is also compelled speech and a violation of the 1st amendment to be restricted from hanging up or displaying Christmas decorations outside.
This judgement has broad implications for everyone since it is from the US Supreme Court!!
The US Supreme Court cannot speak out of both sides of its own mouth due to this judgement!!
Just so we’re all on the same page… There is no judgment from the US Supreme Court. They declined to hear the case. Accordingly, they made no decision and entered no order on the merits.
The court denied certiorari, meaning they declined to hear the State’s appeal, leaving the 8th Circuit’s opinion intact. There are no implications.
To clarify, the Supreme Court declined to take up the issue and did not rule on it.
That cadre who have so much hate in their hearts as to deny a whole swath of the citizenry of the US their most basic constitutional protections have, today, been abashed!
Their hatred is so loud and obscene that they presume to deny these rights under the very color of law!!
They slant and twist and rupture the truth under the banner of “public safety” when, in fact, they are plainly expressing a jealous and ugly hatred! This hate must end!! This government hate list must end! This perversion and pustule of US justice called the registry must end!!
This is how the ripple starts: one person stands up, and that courage gives other families hope to keep going. Thank you to the plaintiff, Janice Bellucci, and everyone who helped carry this fight forward. Each hard-earned victory reminds our community that we are not alone and that change is worth fighting for. This registry infrastructure reaches the smallest areas of everyday life.