Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union

Supreme Court

521 U.S. 844 (1997)

Relevant factsFree

The Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA) made it a crime to knowingly transmit "indecent" messages over the internet to anyone under 18, or to knowingly display "patently offensive" messages in a manner accessible to minors. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) (plaintiff) sued Attorney General Reno (defendant), arguing the CDA violated the First Amendment's free-speech protections. The district court agreed and enjoined enforcement, and Reno appealed directly to the Supreme Court.

IssueFree

Whether federal statutes enacted to protect minors from "indecent" and "patently offensive" communications on the internet violate the First Amendment.

Holding & reasoning

The court resolved the question by applying the controlling rule to the facts and explaining precisely why the outcome followed. Its reasoning ties the doctrine to the record so you can reproduce the analysis on an exam.

Procedural history, concurrence & dissent

This section traces the case from the trial court through appeal and lays out how each opinion lands. Separate writings sharpen the majority's limits and flag the arguments most likely to resurface in class.

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