Federal Communications Commission v. AT&T, Inc.
Holding: Corporations do not have a right of personal privacy for purposes of Exemption 7(C) of the Freedom of Information Act, which protects from disclosure law enforcement records whose disclosure could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. (Kagan, J., recused).
Plain English Holding: Corporations do not have a right of personal privacy for purposes of Exemption 7(C) of the Freedom of Information Act.
Judgment: Reversed, 8-0, in an opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts on March 1, 2011. (Kagan, J., recused).
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Last week's opinions in Plain English (Lisa Tucker, March 6, 2011)
- Analysis: A word game over "privacy" (Lyle Denniston, March 1, 2011)
- Argument recap: Losing on a privacy claim? (Lyle Denniston, January 19, 2011)
- Argument day podcasts: FCC v. AT&T (Adam Schlossman, January 19, 2011)
- Argument preview: Corporate "personhood" -- again (Lyle Denniston, January 18, 2011)
- A review of "state secrets" (Lyle Denniston, September 28, 2010)
Briefs and Documents
Merits Briefs
Amicus Briefs
- Brief for the Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press ALM Media, LLC, the American Society of News Editors, the Associated Press, the Association of American Publishers, Inc., Bay Area News Group, Bloomberg L.P., the Citizen Media Law Project, Daily News, L.P., Dow Jones & Company, Inc., The E.W. Scripps Company, the First Amendment Coalition, First Amendment Project, Gannett Co., Inc., NBC Universal, Inc., the National Press Photographers Association, Newspaper Association of America, the New York Times Co., NPR, Inc., the Society of Professional Journalists, Stephens Media LLC, Tribune Company, and the Washington Post in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Collaboration on Government Secrecy in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Free Press in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the Project on Government Oversight, the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, and Tax Analysts in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for National Association of Manufacturers in Support of Respondent AT&T, Inc.
- Brief for the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America in Support of Respondent AT&T, Inc.
- Brief for the Business Roundtable in Support of Respondent AT&T, Inc.
- Brief for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics In Washington, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, the National Security Archive, and Openthegovernment.Org in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Constitutional Accountability Center in Support of Petitioner
Certiorari-stage documents
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