McCullen v. Coakley
The Court Rules That 35-foot Buffer Zones Around Reproductive Health Facilities Are Unconstitutional
McCullen v. Coakley was featured in Abortion Clinic Protests, Supreme Court Debates (Mar. 2013). The following is excerpted from the summary of the unanimous opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts, as prepared by the Court Reporter of Decisions: The Massachusetts Reproductive Health Care Facility Act violates the First Amendment. By its very terms, the Act restricts access to “public ways” and “sidewalks,” places that have traditionally been open for speech activities and that the Court has accordingly labeled “traditional public fora.” — Pleasant Grove City v. Summum (2009). The government’s ability to regulate speech in such locations is…
