Today our firm filed an amicus brief in support of certain Muslims in Los Angeles who were surveilled electronically and otherwise by the FBI and a confidential informant. The FBI has asserted the state secrets doctrine to seek dismissal of most claims, including a FISA claim under which the district court could conduct an ex parte in camera review of the surveillance to determine if there were
Roberts/GOA v. ATF
Today, as ordered by the Sixth Circuit, we filed a Supplemental Brief on the issue of Standing in our challenge to ATF’s revocation of the rights of licensed Michigan gun owners to purchase firearms without a NICS check.
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org. — CLDEF Amicus Brief
Today we filed a brief for CLDEF in support of the effort by Mississippi to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade (1973) and in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992). We argued that Supreme Court abortion jurisprudence in no way was based on the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, but rather the personal preferences of the justices. Our brief exposed three major flaws in Roe: 1. Roe relied on misrepresentations about how common law viewed abortion; 2. Roe made flawed assumptions understating the maternal risk from abortion; and 3. Roe erroneously assumed state anti-abortion laws were not written to defend the life of the preborn. Lastly, we urged the Court to end its historical embrace of eugenics.
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org. — Intercessors for America Amicus Brief
Today we filed a brief for Intercessors for America in support of the effort by Mississippi to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade (1973) and in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992). We argued that the Court erred in establishing “viability” as the touchstone for its abortion decisions. We also explained how Justice Blackmun based his decision on a Pagan foundation. We cited many Supreme Court sources to demonstrate that the Court increasingly does what it wants to do, regardless of what the Constitution states. We review how the Court’s jurisprudence in areas such as the Establishment Clause and government schools has established paganism as our nation’s religion. Lastly, we explain that this Court’s abortion cases have brought bloodguilt upon the land and opened the nation to God’s righteous temporal judgments.
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen — SCOTUS Merits
Today we filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting a challenge to the virtual ban on concealed carry in New York State. The brief was filed on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners Foundation, and the Heller Foundation. We critique the Second Circuit case in Kachalsky v County of Westchester, explain how the New York licensing scheme undermines the prefatory
Young v. Hawaii
We filed our second brief in the Young v. Hawaii challenge to Hawaii’s virtual total ban on carrying firearms in the State of Hawaii. Our earlier brief was filed before the Ninth Circuit en banc. This brief was filed in the U.S .Supreme court in support of Young’s Petition for Certiorari. We urge the Court to overturn the two-step test used in many Second Amendment challenges. We also challenge the “longstanding” ban in Hawaii, most of which occurred during the time Hawaii was governed by a Monarchy. We demonstrate why certiorari should be granted even though New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Corlett is pending before the court. And we trace the numerous criticisms by Justices and Judges as to how the lower courts have treated the Second Amendment since Heller and McDonald.
Duncan v. Bonta
Today, we filed an amicus brief attacking the constitutionality of a
California ban on standard capacity magazines, which the California law
mislabels as “Large Capacity Magazines.” The District Court and Ninth
Circuit panel both ruled for that the laws were unconstitutional, and
the Ninth Circuit granted rehearing en banc. Our brief defends the
decision
Crawford v. Pennsylvania — Defending Gun Rights of Philadelphians
Today, we filed an brief for Gun Owners of America, Inc. and other nonprofits opposing Philadelphia’s challenge to the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s long-standing firearms preemption statute. That statute prevents Philadelphia from imposing greater firearms restrictions on its residents than those approved by the General Assembly for Pennsylvania as a whole. Philadelphia bases
VCDL/GOA/GOF v. City of Winchester (Virginia) — Complaint for Declaratory Relief, Application for Temporary and Permanent Injunction, and Petition for Writ of Mandamus
Together with Gilbert Ambler of the Ambler Law Offices, LLC (Winchester, VA) and David Browne of Spiro & Browne, LLC (Richmond, VA), we filed suit challenging a Winchester ordinance regulating possession of firearms. The case
Gloucester County School Board v. Gavin Grimm
Today we filed our fourth amicus brief in the Gloucester County School Board case, which now has been been in litigation for over five years. This case involves a high school girl who claimed that her high school violated Title IX by not allowing her to use the boys’ bathroom because she “identifies” as a boy. By a vote of 2-1, the Fourth Circuit panel found a violation. Our brief urges the U.S. Supreme Court to review that decision, explains why the School Board made the right choice, and shows why Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause were not violated.
Victory in the Sixth Circuit on Bumpstocks
In a 2-1 decision issued today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit gave a victory to Gun Owners of America and Virginia Citizens Defense League in their challenge to the ATF Bumpstock regulations issued December 26, 2018. The opinion was written by Judge Alice M. Batchelder. Robert Olson of our firm argued the case in the Sixth Circuit, December 11, 2019.
Roberts v. U.S. Justice Department — Brief for Appellants
Today we filed the opening brief in our appeal to the Sixth Circuit in challenge to the ATF changing their policy, and refusing to allow persons with Michigan Concealed Carry Permits to purchase guns without another NICS check.
AFPF/Thomas More Law Center v. Becerra (Free Speech Coalition amicus brief)
Today we filed an amicus brief in support of the First Amendment rights of California nonprofit organizations, which are currently being required to file a list of their major donors with the California government. Our brief, filed on behalf of 21 nonprofit organizations, explains why a Constitutional Republic should never require voluntary associations to reveal the identity of their members
AFPF/Thomas More Law Center v. Becerra (Citizens United amicus brief)
Today we filed an amicus brief in support of AFPF’s and Thomas More’s First Amendment challenge to California’s compelled disclosure of information about the major donors of nonprofit organizations. We explain in our brief why the Ninth Circuit erred in determining that the Supreme Court’s landmark NAACP v. Alabama decision does not apply here. Second, we
Wade v. Regents of the University of Michigan
Today our firm filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge to the University of Michigan’s infringement on the Second Amendment rights of its students. We explain why the university’s ordinance violates the U.S. Constitution, the Michigan Constitution, and various decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, including District of Columbia v. Heller.
Mai v. United States
Today our firm filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit decision which allowed a ban on gun possession by a man who had suffered a mental health crisis as a minor, but who had since then been found by the State of Washington not to be a danger to himself or to others. Nevertheless, as the Ninth Circuit has done in every Second Amendment challenge brought before
Caniglia v. Strom
Today our firm filed an amicus brief in support of a challenge to a First Circuit decision which upheld an illegal search and seizure of firearms by police after a Petitioner husband and his wife had a non-violent, non-threatening argument. Tired of arguing with his wife, the husband threw down an unloaded handgun and said something like “just shoot me.” The next day the police showed
Lange v. California
Today we filed an amicus brief opposing warrantless home invasions by police officers in pursuit of fleeing misdemeanor suspects. Both parties asked the court to reject a categorical approach that would allow such searches, but both favored a case-by-case rule that could allow such searches in some cases. To remain consistent with the text, history and tradition of the Fourth Amendment, we argued in favor of a categorical rule against such warrantless home invasions.
Texas v. Pennsylvania
Today we filed an amicus brief on behalf of Citizens United, Citizens United Foundation, and The Presidential Coalition, LLC in support of Texas’ attempt to restore constitutional order to the selection of Presidential Electors. We explain how Texas and other states were harmed by Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin when they allowed the circumvention of election procedures adopted by their state legislatures.
Texas v. Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin — Amicus Brief for U.S. Congressmen
Today, we filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Texas’ original action against Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Wisconsin challenging their certification of Presidential Electors.
This brief was filed for U.S. Congressman Mike Johnson and a group of 126 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. In this brief, these Members of the federal legislature seek to protect the constitutional powers of state legislatures to determine the manner of appointing Presidential Electors.
Republican Party of Pennsylvania v. Boockvar
Today we filed an amicus brief in support of a petition for certiorari filed by the Republican Party of Pennsylvania seeking to challenge the decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court changing Pennsylvania election law at the last minute before the November elections. We explained that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court usurped the authority of the Pennsylvania state legislature to make these decisions with respect to federal elections, subject only to Congressional action. We urge the Supreme Court to take the case to invalidate any ballots received after election day.
Laity v. Harris
Today our firm served as co-counsel to file an amicus brief in support of a challenge to Kamala Harris’s eligibility for the office of Vice President of the United States. In our brief, we explain the meaning of the “natural born citizen” requirement set out in Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the U.S. Constitution, and discuss why Harris does not qualify.
Trump v. New York (Merits)
Today we filed our second amicus brief in the case of Trump v. New York, on the merits, defending the discretion given by Congress to the President to conduct the census. In our brief, we urge the court to reverse the district court’s decision which mandates that illegal aliens be counted in the apportionment basis for allocating seats in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College.
Amicus Brief: Trump v. New York
Today our firm filed the only amicus brief (at least thus far) in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Trump v. New York, supporting President Trump’s Memorandum instructing the Secretary of Commerce to provide him with data necessary to reapportion the House of Representatives among the states without counting illegal aliens. The brief was filed for Citizens United, Citizens United Foundation,
County of Los Angeles, et al. v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County (Grace Community Church and Pastor John MacArthur)
Today we filed an amicus brief in a California appellate count in support of Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church. That Church began holding in-person, indoor services in late July despite a ban imposed on such services by Los Angeles County due to COVID-19. The Church, inter alia, has asserted that the ban violates Article I, section 4 of the California Constitution