Decided
United States v. Stevens
Holding
A federal statute that criminalizes depictions of animal cruelty in videotapes and other commercial media is unconstitutional.
Judgment
Affirmed, 8-1, in an opinion by John Roberts on Apr 20, 2010. Justice Alito dissented.
Merits Briefs
- Brief for Petitioner United States of America
- Brief for Respondent Robert Stevens
- Reply brief for Petitioner United States
Amicus Briefs
- Brief for The Center on the Administration of Criminal Law in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for The Northwest Animal Rights Network in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for The Humane Society of the United States in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for The Animal Legal Defense Fund in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia, in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for International Society for Animal Rights in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Washington Legal Foundation and the Allied Education Foundation in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc., in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the Association of American Publishers, Inc., the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Association of American University Presses, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Entertainment Consumers Association, Entertainment Merchants Association, Film Independent, Freedom to Read Foundation, Independent Book Publishers Association, Independent Filmmakers Project, Independent Film & Television Alliance, The International Documentary Association, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, the National Association of Theater Owners, Inc., and Pen American Center, in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Thirteen News Media Organizations in Support of Respondent
- Brief for The Professional Outdoor Media Association, the American Society of Media Photographers, the North American Nature Photography Association, the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, and the Texas Outdoor Writers Association in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the National Rife Association of America, Inc., in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the 1st Amendment Lawyers in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the DKT Liberty Project, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Center for Democracy and Technology in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the Safari Club International and the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the National Coalition Against Censorship and the College Art Association in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the CATO Institute in Support of Respondent
- Brief for Endangered Breed Association and American Dog Breeders Association in Support of Respondent
- Brief for A Group of American Law Professors in Support of Neither Party
Related Coverage
Oct 3, 2008Application (08A287) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from October 16, 2008 to November 15, 2008, submitted to Justice Souter.
Oct 4, 2008Application (08A287) granted by Justice Souter extending the time to file until November 15, 2008.
Nov 5, 2008Application (08A287) to extend further the time from November 15, 2008 to December 15, 2008, submitted to Justice Souter.
Nov 6, 2008Application (08A287) granted by Justice Souter extending the time to file until December 15, 2008.
Dec 15, 2008Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 14, 2009)
Dec 30, 2008Order extending time to file response to petition to and including March 2, 2009.
Jan 13, 2009Consent to the filing of amicus briefs, in support of either party or neither party received from counsel for the respondent.
Jan 14, 2009Brief amicus curiae of Humane Society of the United States filed.
Mar 17, 2009Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including March 20, 2009.
Mar 20, 2009Brief of respondent Robert J. Stevens in opposition filed.
Mar 31, 2009Reply of petitioner United States filed.
Apr 1, 2009DISTRIBUTED for Conference of April 17, 2009.
Apr 20, 2009Petition GRANTED.
May 8, 2009The time within which to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including June 8, 2009.
May 8, 2009The time within which to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including July 13, 2009.
May 13, 2009Consent to the filing of amicus briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the respondent.
Jun 8, 2009Joint appendix filed. Statement of costs received.
Jun 8, 2009Brief of petitioner United States filed.
Jun 9, 2009Letter from petitioner proposing to lodge copies of a reference list of web sites, with brief descriptions, referenced in the brief on the merits.
Jun 10, 2009Brief amicus curiae of International Society for Animal Rights filed.
Jun 11, 2009Record received from U.S.C.A. for 3rd Circuit. (4 videotapes)
Jun 12, 2009Brief amicus curiae of American Law Professors filed.
Jun 15, 2009Brief amicus curiae of Humane Society of the United States filed.
Jun 15, 2009Brief amicus curiae of Northwest Animal Rights Network filed.
Jun 15, 2009Brief amici curiae of Florida, et al. filed.
Jun 15, 2009Brief amicus curiae of American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals filed.
Jun 15, 2009Brief amici curiae of Washington Legal Foundation, and Allied Educational Foundation filed.
Jun 15, 2009Brief amicus curiae of Center on the Administration of Criminal Law filed.
Jun 15, 2009Brief amicus curiae of Animal Legal Defense Fund filed.
Jun 16, 2009Letter from counsel for The Humane Society of the United States proposing to lodge copies of a DVD which contains footage of the videos referenced in its brief on the merits.
Jul 7, 2009The time within which to file respondent's brief on the merits is further extended to and including July 20, 2009.
Jul 16, 2009SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, October 6, 2009.
Jul 17, 2009CIRCULATED.
Jul 20, 2009Brief of respondent Robert J. Stevens filed. (Distributed)
Jul 23, 2009Brief amici curiae of Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and Thirteen News Media Organizations filed. (Distributed).
Jul 24, 2009Brief amici curiae of Endangered Breed Association and American Dog Breeders Association filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amici curiae of DKT Liberty Project, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amici curiae of Professional Outdoor Media Association, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amici curiae of National Coalition Against Censorship, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amicus curiae of First Amendment Lawyers Association filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amicus curiae of Cato Institute filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amicus curiae of Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amici curiae of Constitutional Law Scholars Bruce Ackerman, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amicus curiae of National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. filed. (Distributed).
Jul 27, 2009Brief amici curiae of Safari Club International, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amici curiae of Association of American Publishers, Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed)
Jul 27, 2009Brief amicus curiae of National Rifle Association of America, Inc. filed. (Distributed)
Aug 7, 2009Record received by from the U.S.C.A. for the Third Circuit. (1 box)
Aug 12, 2009Record received from U.S.D.C. for the Western District of Pennsylvania. (1 box)
Aug 19, 2009Reply of petitioner United States filed. (Distributed)
Oct 6, 2009Argued. For petitioner: Neal K. Katyal, Deputy Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. For respondent: Patricia A. Millett, Washington, D.C.
Mar 17, 2010Lodging request of The Humane Society of the United States approved.
Apr 20, 2010Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, and Sotomayor, JJ., joined. Alito, J., filed a dissenting opinion.
May 24, 2010JUDGMENT ISSUED.
May 25, 2010Record returned to the U.S.C.A, Third Circuit.
May 25, 2010Record returned to U.S.D.C. for Western District of Pennsylvania.
Recommended Citation: United States v. Stevens, SCOTUSblog, https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/united-states-v-stevens/