Press Releases

Maryland found to infringe college’s religious expression

Federal court says Columbia Union College must get state aid

Washington, D.C. – In a landmark victory for religious liberty and free speech, a federal judge ruled late yesterday that Maryland “infringed upon Columbia Union College’s free-speech rights” by denying state funds to the Seventh-day Adventist college “solely because of its

Supreme Court rules Scouts may exclude gay scoutmaster

Upholds Scouts’ First Amendment right to control their message

Washington, D.C. – In a landmark victory for First Amendment rights, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that the Boy Scouts may prohibit homosexuals from serving as scoutmasters. The Court’s 5-4 decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale reverses the New

Supreme Court strikes down Violence Against Women Act

Court says Congress exceeded its constitutional authority

Washington, D.C. – A key provision of the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was struck down today as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Center for Individual Rights (CIR), which represents one of the defendants, contended that VAWA’s enactment exceeded Congress’s constitutional

U. of Oklahoma backs down on harassment proceeding

Washington, D.C. – Facing the threat of a lawsuit, the University of Oklahoma agreed today to cancel all disciplinary proceedings against a professor charged with sexual harassment for a letter to the school newspaper. Several students and professors filed harassment charges against Professor David Deming after claiming his open letter

Professor’s battle against female-only raise goes on

Washington, D.C. – As a result of a March 29 decision in Maitland v. University of Minnesota, Ian Maitland’s decade-long challenge to the University’s female-only faculty pay raise will continue. U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank denied the University of Minnesota’s latest motion to dismiss, rejecting all four asserted grounds

Federal court orders pirate radio station off the air

Microbroadcaster’s First Amendment battle moves to U.S. Court of Appeals

Washington, D.C. – Pirate station Grid Radio 96.9 FM in Cleveland is down but hardly out following a federal district court judge’s order that it cease broadcasting. The low-power station, which broadcasts music and public service programming to Cleveland’s gay community,

Supreme Court limits racial gerrymandering by DOJ

Washington, D.C. – In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court today sharply limited the ability of the Department of Justice to racially gerrymander local voting districts. In the case of Reno v. Bossier Parish School Board, Justice Scalia declared that the DOJ may no longer use the pre-clearance provision of

Supreme Court to review Violence Against Women Act

Constitutional limits on federal power at stake

Washington, D.C.- The Supreme Court agreed today to review the constitutionality of the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). A key provision of the act was struck down by a federal appeals court in March. The Supreme Court’s decision in this case, Brzonkala v.

Settlement reached in pupil assignment case

Washington, D.C. – On July 13, 1999, the St. Paul, MN school district agreed to settle CIR’s case challenging a racial set-aside in student assignments to its acclaimed Capitol Hill Magnet school. At issue was a school district policy that left available classroom seats unfilled in order to achieve the

New York’s highest court to hear Maas sexual harassment case (5-23-99)

Was famous Cornell professor a harasser or the victim of a witch hunt?

Washington, D.C.- The New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, agreed today to hear an appeal from Cornell University psychology professor James Maas, the nationally known researcher and filmmaker accused of sexual harassment by former students.