Today, the Supreme Court ended compelled union dues and restored First Amendment rights to thousands of public employees across the country. In Janus v. AFSCME, the Court ruled that workers have a right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. After 40 years of coerced union dues, public employees will now enjoy the same First Amendment rights as everyone else and will no longer be forced ...
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The Supreme Court is currently considering Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31, a First Amendment challenge to public employee compulsory agency fees. Compelled unionism could soon be before the Supreme Court once again. Gerawan Farming, Inc. v. California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, cert. petition pending (No. 17-1375) (Mar. 28, 2018), takes compelled association beyond Janus, by challenging state-imposed private contracts on workers and their ...
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After facing attacks on nearly every front, the Massachusetts law banning stun guns and other electric weapons has finally been declared unconstitutional. The Supreme Court cast constitutional shade on the law in 2016’s Caetano v. Massachusetts. In light of that decision, the law has come under increasing scrutiny. CIR filed Martel v. Healey in federal court seeking to have the law declared unconstitutional in violation of the Second Amendment. And ...
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On April 30th, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Frank v. Gaos, a case in which CIR filed a supporting brief. The case challenges a well-known abuse of plaintiff class action settlements known as cy pres awards in which 100% of settlement awards are given to attorneys and third party charities. In an amicus brief, CIR’s urged the Supreme Court to review the case, arguing that cy pres awards violate ...
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Locked in an appeal fight with CIR and Lead Counsel Gibson Dunn, the Government of Guam recently inexplicably declined an offer from the Ninth Circuit to expedite consideration of its appeal. CIR is challenging Guam’s plan to hold a race-exclusive plebiscite in violation of the 14th and 15th Amendments. After the Federal District Court of Guam ruled in favor of CIR’s client Dave Davis, Guam appealed to the Ninth Circuit.
The ...
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