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Williams-Yulee v. The Florida Bar

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
13-1499 Fla. Jan 20, 2015 Apr 29, 2015 5-4 Roberts OT 2014

Holding: Florida’s ban on the personal solicitation of campaign funds by candidates for judgeships does not violate the First Amendment.

Judgment: Affirmed, 5-4, in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts on April 29, 2015. Chief Justices Roberts delivered the opinion of the Court, except as to Part II. Justices Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan joined that opinion in full, and Justice Ginsburg joined except as to Part II. Justice Breyer filed a concurring opinion. Justice Ginsburg filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, in which Justice Breyer joined as to Part II. Justice Scalia filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Thomas joined. Justice Kennedy and Justice Alito filed dissenting opinions.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
Jun 17 2014Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 18, 2014)
Jun 30 2014Waiver of right of respondent The Florida Bar to respond filed.
Jul 9 2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 29, 2014.
Jul 24 2014Response Requested . (Due August 25, 2014)
Aug 22 2014Brief of respondent The Florida Bar in opposition filed.
Aug 26 2014Reply of petitioner Lanell Williams-Yulee filed.
Sep 3 2014DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 29, 2014.
Oct 2 2014Petition GRANTED.
Nov 12 2014Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner Lanell Williams-Yulee.
Nov 17 2014Brief of petitioner Lanell Williams-Yulee filed.
Nov 21 2014SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Nov 24 2014Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union, et al., filed.
Nov 24 2014Brief amici curiae of Randolph Wolfson, et al. filed.
Nov 24 2014Brief amicus curiae of The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression filed.
Nov 24 2014Brief amicus curiae of Cameron A. Blau filed.
Dec 1 2014Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner GRANTED.
Dec 2 2014Record requested from Supreme Court of Florida.
Dec 8 2014Record received from Supreme Court of Florida. The record is electronic.
Dec 12 2014CIRCULATED.
Dec 17 2014Brief of respondent The Florida Bar filed. (Distributed)
Dec 19 2014Brief amici curiae of Free Speech for People, and James C. Nelson filed. (Distributed)
Dec 22 2014Brief amicus curiae of Professor Jed Shugerman filed. (Distributed).
Dec 23 2014Brief amici curiae of Professors of Law, Economics, and Political Science filed. (Distributed)
Dec 23 2014Brief amici curiae of Public Citizen, Inc. and Democracy 21 filed. (Distributed).
Dec 23 2014Brief amici curiae of States of Arizona, et al., filed. (Distributed)
Dec 23 2014Brief amici curiae of State and Local Judicial Reform Groups filed. (Distributed)
Dec 23 2014Brief amici curiae of Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Dec 23 2014Brief amicus curiae of The Carter Center filed. (Distributed)
Dec 24 2014Brief amicus curiae of Conference of Chief Justices filed. (Distributed)
Dec 24 2014Brief amici curiae of Thomas R. Phillips, et al., filed. (Distributed).
Dec 24 2014Brief amici curiae of Major B. Harding, et al., filed. (Distributed).
Dec 24 2014Brief amicus curiae of American Bar Association filed. (Distributrd).
Dec 24 2014Brief amici curiae of Norman Dorsen, et al., filed. (Distributed)
Jan 13 2015Reply of petitioner Lanell Williams-Yulee filed. (Distributed)
Jan 20 2015Argued. For petitioner: Andrew J. Pincus, Washington, D. C. For respondent, Barry Richard, Tallahassee, Fla.
Apr 29 2015Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, except as to Part II. Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ., joined that opinion in full, and Ginsburg, J., joined except as to Part II. Breyer, J., filed a concurring opinion. Ginsburg, J., filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, in which Breyer, J., joined as to Part II. Scalia, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas, J., joined. Kennedy, J., and Alito, J., filed dissenting opinions.
Jun 1 2015MANDATE ISSUED.