Posted on 03/09/2021 7:12:42 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Chief Justice John Roberts was the only dissenter in the U.S Supreme Court’s most recent ruling favoring a couple of Christian students who challenged their university for restricting when, where, and how they could speak about their faith and disseminate materials on campus.
Today's 8-1 decision in Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski marks the first time Chief Justice John Roberts has ever been the sole dissenting justice during his entire tenure. https://t.co/6Ux9HvXiDL
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) March 8, 2021
Uzuegbunam et al. v. Preczewski et al. first materialized after Chike Uzuegbunam, a student at Georgia Gwinnett College, was stopped by campus police for handing out religious materials on campus, a reported violation of the school’s “Freedom of Expression Policy,” which limited distributions and other expressions to free speech zones only with permission from the administration. Even after Uzuegbunam moved to the designated areas with permission, however, campus police attempted to stop him from speaking and handing out religious literature, prompting him and another student, Joseph Bradford, to take legal action against the university for violating their First and 14th Amendment rights and seek nominal damages.
The students’ attempts to sue the school, however, were shot down by both a district court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit after Georgia Gwinnett College changed its “Freedom of Expression” policy to remove barriers on when and where students could speak on campus and filed a motion to dismiss the case as moot. The Supreme Court took up the case after Uzuegbunam and Bradford noted that their rights were still violated no matter what the university modified its policy to reflect and still required a ruling on nominal damages.
Justice Clarence Thomas authored the opinion of the court, agreeing with the students’ case.
“Applying this principle here is straightforward. For purposes of this appeal, it is undisputed that Uzuegbunam experienced a completed violation of his constitutional rights when respondents enforced their speech policies against him. Because ‘every violation [of a right] imports damage,’ Webb, 29 F. Cas., at 509, nominal damages can redress Uzuegbunam’s injury even if he cannot or chooses not to quantify that harm in economic terms,” Thomas concluded.
Roberts, however, in his first solo dissent, wrote that the court was acting as “a moot court” in deciding this case and their ruling.
“When plaintiffs like Uzuegbunam and Bradford allege neither actual damages nor the prospect of future injury, an award of
nominal damages does not change their status or condition at all. Such an award instead represents a judicial determination that the plaintiffs’ interpretation of the law is correct — nothing more,” Roberts stated.
Who owns Roberts?
Of Republicans ever get enough senators, Roberts needs to be impeached and replaced.
Roberts is a dumbass.
W Bush appointee.
Roberts ought to be mooted.
This is surprising since Roberts relishes in being the swing vote, the “New Kennedy.”
Hmmm. So to take this a step further, the SC itself is moot as it is SUPPOSED to determine if the "interpretation of the law is correct".
Even the wise Latinx was in on this one? Strange times....
The apple doesn’t fall far from the horse.
I don’t know. But remember now Muslims can hand out religious stuff too. I might have voted no too.
Lin woods File on Roberts is pretty incredible
If even .01% is true this guy needs to step down yesterday
But of course with the swamp being the swamp , and the favored few can commit Felony murder and whatever Mayhem they want and get away with it nothing will happen
And in other news, a review has uncovered evidence of 20 000 illegal adoptions in Ireland, but their government has decided not to investigate further.
We could have had Harriet Miers.
Roberts has a serious illness, the President has progressive dementia, The Dems have a majority in Congress.
No wonder I drink :) I know how the band felt and the old men at the bar felt on the Titanic.
John Roberts...yet another “gift” to the country from George W. Bush.
She couldn’t have been any worse.
Well stated!
Of Republicans ever get enough senators, Roberts needs to be impeached and replaced.
**************
NEVER happen. Republicans are too weak to do the right thing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.