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TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2003

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the constitutionality of a federal law that requires public libraries to use software that filters out objectionable Internet content.

In a 6-3 decision, the court said the law doesn't violate the First Amendment. A group of library associations challenged the Children's Internet Protection Act.

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote for the majority, joined by Justices Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas Thomas. Justices Anthony Kennedy and Stephen G. Breyer writing concurring opinions.

Justices John Paul Stevens and David Souter wrote dissenting opinions. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined Souter's opinion.

The case is United States v. American Library Association, No. 02-361.

Get the Story:
Ruling Backs Porn Filters In Libraries (The Washington Post 6/24)
Justices Back Law to Make Libraries Use Internet Filters (The New York Times 6/24)
Librarians Size Up Internet Filter Law's Impact (The New York Times 6/24)
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Get the Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Rehnquist] | Concurrence [Kennedy] | Concurrence [Breyer] | Dissent [Stevens] | Dissent [Souter]