What was the outcome of the Reno v ACLU case?
Asked by: Forest Treutel III | Last update: April 22, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (39 votes)
In the landmark 1997 case Reno v. ACLU, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously struck down parts of the Communications Decency Act (CDA) as unconstitutional, ruling they violated the First Amendment's free speech protections by placing an overly broad and vague restriction on indecent content on the Internet, even though the Act aimed to protect minors. The Court found that the Internet, unlike broadcast media, deserved the highest level of free speech protection, and the CDA failed to narrowly tailor its restrictions, preventing adults from accessing constitutionally protected speech.
What was the decision in Reno v. ACLU?
ACLU — Challenge to Censorship Provisions in the Communications Decency Act. In 1997, the Supreme Court ruled in Reno v. ACLU that the federal Communications Decency Act (CDA) is an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.
What was the outcome of the Shaw v Reno case?
elect representatives of their choice.” In Shaw v. Reno (1993), the Court ruled that electoral districts whose boundaries cannot be explained except on the basis of race can be challenged as potential violations of the equal protection clause, and in Miller v.
What was the vote for Reno v. ACLU?
American Civil Liberties Union (1997) In Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, 521 U.S.844 (1997), the Supreme Court held in a unanimous decision that provisions of the 1996 Communications Decency Act (CDA) were an unconstitutional, content-based restriction of First Amendment free speech rights.
Who wrote the Reno v. ACLU for the Court?
STEVENS, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which SCALIA, KENNEDY, SOUTER, THOMAS, GINSBURG, and BREYER, JJ., joined. O'CONNOR, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment in part and dissenting in part, in which REHNQUIST, C. J., joined, post, p. 886.
Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union (1997) Overview | LSData Case Brief Video Summary
Did the Supreme Court decide on Trump's immunity?
Yes, the Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. United States (July 2024) that President Trump has some immunity from criminal prosecution for "official acts" taken while in office, establishing a framework where absolute immunity applies to core presidential functions (like commanding the Justice Dept. for election-related issues) and a presumption of immunity exists for other official acts, requiring prosecutors to overcome this presumption for non-core duties, while no immunity exists for purely private/unofficial conduct. The ruling sent the case back to a lower court to distinguish between official and unofficial acts, significantly complicating Special Counsel Jack Smith's election interference case.
Did Ronald Reagan give reparations to the Japanese?
The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 gave surviving Japanese Americans reparations and a formal apology by President Reagan for their incarceration during World War II.
What cases has the ACLU won?
The ACLU is committed to fight for freedom and the protection of constitutional rights for generations to come.
- SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
- 1920 - Palmer Raids. ...
- 1925 - The Scopes Case. ...
- 1942 - Fighting the Internment of Japanese Americans. ...
- 1954 - Brown v. ...
- 1969 - Protecting Free Speech. ...
- 1973 - Reproductive Rights.
Which two laws did the Supreme Court declare to be unconstitutional?
The Supreme Court declared two major New Deal laws unconstitutional: the National Recovery Administration (NRA) in 1935 and the Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) in 1936, striking down key parts of President Roosevelt's economic recovery programs by finding they overstepped federal power, particularly regarding interstate commerce and private industry regulation.
How many of the 9 justices agreed with the majority's decision in Reno v. ACLU?
Reno v. ACLU was the Supreme Court's first attempt to define the First Amendment boundaries of the Internet. Speaking for a majority of seven justices (two justices dissented in part), Justice Stevens affirmed the district court's decision, declaring that the CDA was unduly vague.
Why is Shaw v. Reno important today?
The Supreme Court has compounded the problem with its racial gerrymandering jurisprudence. Starting with Shaw v. Reno in 1993, the court has said that legislative districts trigger heightened review by courts, and thus are likely unconstitutional, if race predominated in drawing the district's boundaries.
Which Supreme Court case had the largest impact on society?
Ferguson in the 1896 case and Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, probably the most famous of all civil rights cases, the Brown case. The 1896 Plessy case was a case in which the Supreme Court reviewed a state law requiring racial segregation. In this case it was taking about rail roads.
What Supreme Court case is one person one vote?
14-940 EVENWEL V. ABBOTT
In Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964), this Court held that the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment includes a "one-person, one-vote" principle.
What was the famous case of the ACLU?
The ACLU has been involved in numerous famous cases, including Tinker v. Des Moines (student speech), Brown v. Board of Education (school segregation), Reno v. ACLU (internet censorship), Obergefell v. Hodges (marriage equality), and early cases like Gitlow v. New York (incorporating free speech to states), defending rights for students, minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and against government overreach, though they also opposed Japanese American internment during WWII.
Why did the court strike down the Communications Decent Act in Reno v. ACLU?
Yes. The Court held that the Act violated the First Amendment because its regulations amounted to a content-based blanket restriction of free speech.
Has the ACLU ever defended the 2nd Amendment?
Does the ACLU support the Second Amendment as an individual right? No. The ACLU interprets the Second Amendment as a collective right tied to state militias, not an individual right to own firearms. Why does the ACLU oppose some gun control laws?
What is the most famous Court case of all time?
There isn't one single "most famous" case, but landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases like Marbury v. Madison (judicial review), Brown v. Board of Education (ending school segregation), Miranda v. Arizona (rights of the accused), and Roe v. Wade (abortion rights) are consistently ranked among the most influential, while high-profile public trials like the O.J. Simpson trial (media spectacle) and historical events like the Nuremberg Trials (international justice) are also incredibly famous.
Is child support unconstitutional?
No, child support is not unconstitutional; the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld child support laws as a civil obligation rooted in the state's interest in protecting children, not as punishment, though due process protections are required for enforcement, especially regarding indigence. Challenges often arise concerning enforcement procedures or perceived conflicts of interest, but courts consistently affirm the fundamental right of a child to support from both parents, making it a constitutional mandate to ensure children don't become public charges.
Why did Marbury not get his commission?
Though Marbury was entitled to it, the Court was unable to grant it because Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789 conflicted with Article III Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution and was therefore null and void.
What type of law is ACLU?
What We Do. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) defends the fundamental rights outlined in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These include the right to freedom of speech and assembly, the right to religious freedom, due process of law, equality before the law and the right to privacy.
What is the most impactful Supreme Court case?
Importance: The Brown decision is heralded as a landmark decision in Supreme Court history, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) which had created the "separate but equal" doctrine.
What is the most famous civil case?
10 most interesting and Famous cases in India that are full of tragedy:
- Hussainara Khatoon v. ...
- Indian Council for Environment Legal Action v. ...
- Citizens for Democracy v. ...
- Shreya Singhal v. ...
- Sex with a minor wife is rape. ...
- Ayodhya dispute. ...
- The Shah Bano Case, 1985. ...
- Right to Privacy Is a Fundamental Right.
Who still owes U.S. money from WWII?
The United Kingdom still has amounts outstanding from World War II and its immediate aftermath which it continues to repay on a regular basis. World War II-era claims on Iran have been incorporated into the claims being adjudicated by the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, established after the 1979 Iranian revolution.
Which president apologized for Japanese internment?
President Ronald Reagan officially apologized for Japanese American internment in 1988 by signing the Civil Liberties Act, acknowledging the injustice, and authorizing reparations, including $20,000 payments to survivors, with formal letters of apology later sent under President George H.W. Bush.
Did the U.S. pay reparations to Native Americans?
After World War II, the Indian Claims Commission formed to compensate Amerindian tribes. It paid $1.3 billion dollars to 176 tribes, which only amounted to less than $1000 per individual.