Supreme Court will hear KDV’s First Amendment case April 26, 2021

The Supreme Court of the United States received the final brief today in a six-year First Amendment battle between Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP’s client, the Thomas More Law Center, and the California Attorney General. At stake: the rights of donors to support charitable organizations anonymously, free from government or public persecution and harassment. The brief can be downloaded here: Thomas More Merits Reply Brief.

The case is set for hearing on April 26, 2021, at 10:00 AM EDT, and will be audio-broadcast live on C-Span and other news media: click here to listen.

“Donors to nonprofits that peacefully advocate for deeply held convictions, like Thomas More does in courts across the country, must be free from public and private retribution,” said Louie Castoria, a partner in KDV’s San Francisco office, who filed the suit against California, winning a permanent injunction at trial and leading the case through the appellate process. John Bursch, a frequent Supreme Court advocate, joined Thomas More’s case during the Supreme Court phase. He and Castoria will be together at the hearing with counsel for co-petitioner, Americans for Prosperity Foundation, who will present the argument for both petitioners.

Thomas More’s brief urges the Court to strictly scrutinize states’ demands that advocacy nonprofits disclose their significant donors’ identities, including contact information, and declare that such demands are unconstitutional under free speech, freedom of association, and privacy rights.

Information about KDV’s appellate practice team is at https://www.kaufmandolowich.com/practice-areas/appellate-law/