Phelps-Roper v. City of Manchester (MLW No. 64259/Case No. 10-3197 – 25 pages) (U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit, Murphy, J.)

Tagged with: Constitutional DMurphy First Amendment funeral protests LSmith Standing

The U.S. Supreme Court, saying even hurtful speech is protected by the Constitution, ruled that members of a Kansas church can’t be punished for staging an anti-homosexual demonstration at a military funeral.

Tagged with: First Amendment funeral protests St. Charles County Westboro Baptist Church

St. Charles City officials say they will delay enforcing a new ordinance that places restrictions on funeral protests. Mayor Patti York said Friday officials first want the courts to determine the constitutionality of a similar St. Charles County ordinance. The ...

Tagged with: funeral protests

Family members receive flags during a funeral service last month in Liberty for Missouri Army National Guard Sgt. Robert Wayne Crow. Crow, 42, of Kansas City, died July 10 in Afghanistan’s Paktika province after his vehicle was hit with an explosive device. Chief U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr. ruled last week that Missouri's law against funeral protests violates the Westboro Baptist Church's rights to free speech.

Tagged with: Fernando Gaitan Jr. funeral protests Westboro Baptist Church

A federal judge says a Missouri state law barring protests at funerals is unconstitutional. In a 19-page ruling on Monday, Chief U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr. said the law violates the Westboro Baptist Church’s rights to free speech. State ...

Tagged with: Fernando Gaitan Jr. free speech funeral protests Westboro Baptist Church

A federal judge says a Missouri state law that bars protests at funerals is unconstitutional. In a 19-page ruling, Chief U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr. said the law violates the Westboro Baptist Church’s right to free speech. State lawmakers ...

Tagged with: Fernando Gaitan Jr. free speech funeral protests Westboro Baptist Church

A federal judge says a Missouri state law that bars protests at funerals is unconstitutional. In a 19-page ruling, Chief U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr. said the law violates the Westboro Baptist Church’s right to free speech. State lawmakers ...

Tagged with: Fernando Gaitan Jr. free speech funeral protests Westboro Baptist Church

The U.S. Supreme Court will not review a preliminary injunction preventing Missouri officials from enforcing the state’s funeral protest law. The state of Missouri had asked the Supreme Court to consider whether the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was wrong ...

Tagged with: funeral protests Shirley Phelps-Roper

A federal court has approved a preliminary injunction against the city of Gladstone, preventing enforcement of an ordinance against protesting at funerals. The injunction, signed today by U.S. District Chief Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr. in Kansas City, is the second ...

Tagged with: American Civil Liberties Union Fernando Gaitan Jr. funeral protests St. Joseph Westboro Baptist Church