Supreme Court Associate and Chief Justice William Rehnquist was not known as a defender of First Amendment rights, but he protective of some aspects of the amendment.| The Free Speech Center
Wallace v. Jaffree (1985) struck down a state law requiring a minute of silence in public schools. The Court said the law had a religious purpose and violated the First Amendment.| The Free Speech Center
In First Amendment law, Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court, was known for her religious liberty opinions.| The Free Speech Center
Many early American states required public officeholders to take religious oaths. In 1961, the Supreme Court said this requirement violated the First Amendment.| The Free Speech Center
Lynch v. Donnelly (1984) upheld the inclusion of a manger scene in a Christmas display on government property against a First Amendment establishment clause challenge.| The Free Speech Center
Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens contributed mightily to First Amendment jurisprudence and seemingly became more speech-protective in his later years on the Court.| The Free Speech Center
The establishment clause prohibits government from establishing a religion. It is sometimes referred to as separation of church and state.| The Free Speech Center
Supreme Court Justice Hugo Lafayette Black is considered to be one of the most influential justices of his time. On First Amendment issues, Black was considered an absolutist.| The Free Speech Center