Topic: ACLJ Supeme Court Cases - Jay Sekulow
Lindyy's photo
Thu 02/21/08 07:53 PM
THE GOOD NEWS THAT YOU DO NOT HEAR ON LIBERAL MEDIA:


The American Center for Law and Justice litigates at all levels in state and federal courts across the nation. Many of the issues that we are involved with at the ACLJ end up at the Supreme Court of the United States. ACLJ Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow has appeared before the high court on numerous occasions -- conducting oral arguments on some of the most important issues of the day. Below is a summary of our work at the Supreme Court of the United States.



Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation (2006)
The Supreme Court turned away a federal lawsuit by church-state separationists challenging the use of taxpayer dollars to fund a program of President Bush's faith-based initiative. The Court ruled that the separationists had no legal standing to bring the suit. In a 5-4 decision, the high court issued its decision on June 25, 2007 in the case of Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation (U.S. No. 06-157). The ACLJ filed an amicus brief with the high court in support of the federal government’s position which prevailed. The ACLJ said the decision represents a significant victory that sends a powerful message that atheists and others antagonistic to religion do not get an automatic free pass to bring Establishment Clause lawsuits.

Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood (2006)
On April 18, 2007, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the national ban on partial-birth abortions with a 5-4 decision. This was the second case involving the ban on partial-birth abortion that the high court has agreed to hear. As you may recall, Congress approved a national ban on the procedure. The law was challenged in three separate cases in the federal court system in Nebraska, New York, and California. In all cases, the ban was declared unconstitutional. The high court first agreed to hear the case out of Nebraska. The ACLJ, which has been involved in defending the national ban since its passage by Congress, supported the government's position defending the ban and represented members of Congress in an amicus brief filed with the high court. This case was decided on April 18, 2007, with the Supreme Court upholding the federal ban on partial-birth abortion. The case is Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood, 05-1382.

Gonzales v. Carhart (2005)
On April 18, 2007 the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the national ban on partial-birth abortions with a 5-4 decision. As you may recall, Congress approved a national ban on the procedure. The law was challenged in three separate cases in the federal court system in Nebraska, New York, and California. In all cases, the ban was declared unconstitutional. The high court will hear the case out of Nebraska. The ACLJ, which has been involved in defending the national ban since its passage by Congress, supported the government's position defending the ban and is represented nearly 80 members of Congress and more than 320,000 Americans in an amicus brief filed with the high court. This case was decided on April 18, 2007, with the Supreme Court upholding the federal ban on partial-birth abortion. The case is Gonzales v. Carhart, 05-380.



Van Orden vs. Perry, (2004)
By a vote of 5-4, the Supreme Court on June 27, 2005 overturned a federal appeals court clearing the way for the constitutional display of thousands of monuments that have been in place across America. The decision came in a case in Texas where the Fraternal Order of Eagles donated a Commandments monument which has been in place outside the state capitol in Austin since 1961. The ACLJ filed an amicus brief at the high court asking the Justices to overturn a lower court decision declaring the monument unconstitutional. In its decision, the high court said the Eagles monument was constitutionally permissible.


Operation Rescue v. National Organization for Women, et al. (2005)
On February 28, 2006, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of pro-life demonstrators and organizations bringing an end to a nearly 20-year-old legal marathon involving a federal racketeering statute used against pro-life demonstrators. The high court ruled that the actions of the pro-life demonstrators fell outside the scope of the federal Hobbs Act, and therefore the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute - a law designed to combat drug dealers and organized crime. In its decision, the high court ordered the federal appeals court to enter a ruling in favor of the pro-life demonstrators and organizations bringing an end to a case that lasted nearly two decades. The ACLJ represented Operation Rescue and served as Counsel of Record in the case.

McConnell v. FEC, (2003)
Sekulow served as lead counsel and presented oral arguments on behalf of a group of minors who were prohibited from contributing to political campaigns. The Supreme Court unanimously held that minors cannot be prohibited from participating in political campaigns. The Court held that "minors enjoy the protection of the First Amendment."

U.S. v. Newdow, (2003)
Representing more than 260,000 Americans and nearly 70 members of Congress, the ACLJ filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of the constitutionality of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. The Supreme Court rejected the legal challenge to the Pledge, saying Michael Newdow did not have legal standing to bring the case and removed the federal appeals court ruling that declared the Pledge unconstitutional.

Rasul v. Bush and Al Odah v. Bush, (2004)
The American Center for Law and Justice filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court supporting the position of the Department of Justice that the detainees being held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba are unlawful enemy combatants that are being held in accordance with U.S. and applicable international law. The high court ruled that the President has authority to hold the detainees while at the same time ruling the detainees must have access to the U.S. court system.
Hamdi v. Rumsfeld (War on Terrorism) 2003
The ACLJ filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court asking the high court to uphold a federal appeals court decision that found the government acted properly in detaining Yaser Hamdi, an American citizen seized on the battlefield in Afghanistan – classified as an enemy combatant.


Gentala v. City of Tucson
After six years of litigation, the ACLJ was successful in protecting the constitutional rights of a group of citizens who applied to use a public park in Arizona for a National Day of Prayer Event. After the Supreme Court issued a decision in a separate, unrelated case, the high court vacated an appeals court ruling against our client – ordering the trial court to reconsider the case based on the Supreme Court’s decision in the Good News Club case. The trial court finally held that the city of Tucson’s discriminatory treatment of our client must end – ruling that the city’s action infringed upon our client’s right to equal access to a public park.

Prince v. Jacoby, (2003)
At the urging of the ACLJ, the Supreme Court refused to take this case – leaving intact a federal appeals court ruling that a school district in Washington state violated the constitutional rights of our client – Tausha Prince, a high school sophomore, who was denied equal access to school facilities in setting up a student Bible club.

Operation Rescue v. National Organization for Women, 537 U.S. 808, 123 S. Ct. 58 (2002).
The Supreme Court determined that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute (RICO) – a federal statute targeting drug dealers and organized crime – could not be used against pro-life demonstrators. Jay Sekulow served as counsel of record for Operation Rescue in this case. The Supreme Court concluded that pro-life demonstrators were not racketeers engaged in extortion and that the RICO statute could not be used against them.


The ACLJ is continually fighting for the freedoms offerd to the citizens of the USA.


Thank you Jay Sekulow and the ACLJ:heart:

Lindyy


higlander's photo
Thu 02/21/08 07:54 PM
yawn

WhereIsMatt's photo
Thu 02/21/08 08:05 PM
Dear Lindyy,



Please stop posting.



Thanks.

adj4u's photo
Thu 02/21/08 08:06 PM
aclj sounds like a good outfit

http://ezinearticles.com/?ACLU-or-ACLJ---The-Difference-is-Like-Night-and-Day&id=106793


hey lindy please continue posting thx