Leis v. Flynt
United States Supreme Court
439 U.S. 438 (1979)
Relevant factsFree
Ohio prosecutor Leis (plaintiff) brought pornography-distribution charges against Larry Flynt (defendant); Flynt's out-of-state attorneys applied for pro hac vice admission to Ohio courts, and the county court denied the application without a hearing. The attorneys sued in federal court claiming a due process violation, obtained an injunction halting the criminal proceedings pending a hearing, and the court of appeals upheld the injunction; Leis and the county judges sought Supreme Court review.
IssueFree
Whether an attorney has a constitutionally protected interest in pro hac vice admission to appear before a state court in the absence of state or federal law establishing such a right.