Monday, October 27, 2008

Sekulow Will Argue 10 Commandments Case Before U.S. Supreme Court

American Center for Law and Justice Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow will argue Pleasant Grove City v. Summum before the U.S. Supreme Court next month. ACLJ attorneys have already submitted a series of legal briefs in the case about the right of government entities to display the Ten Commandments and to commemorate other civic virtues, heroism and aspirations without being obligated to give equal time and space to contrary opinions.

A three-judge federal appeals panel ordered Pleasant Grove City, Utah, to make equal space available in a city park for Summum's "The Seven Aphorisms" in response to a donated Ten Commandments display. When the appeals court met en banc to reconsider the panel's ruling, it split 6-6 and turned down a request to re-hear the dispute. The U.S. Supreme Court then granted certiorari, and has scheduled oral arguments for Nov. 12.

ACLJ briefs have argued that the appeals court's decision, if left standing, would obligate governments to accept a Hitler monument in response to WWII monuments, and a Statue of Tyranny in response to the Statue of Liberty.

An archive of briefs and news articles about the case is accessible on ACLJ's website at http://www.aclj.org/Cases/default.aspx?Section=120.