Last Updated: September 10, 2010 at 1:40 PM

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

Case Information

Date Filed / Ended: December 13, 2007 / January 21, 2010
State: National
Issue: Campaign Finance
Courts that Heard this Case: U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Case 1:07-cv-02240); U.S. Supreme Court (Case 08–205)

Issue:

Do federal campaign finance laws apply to a critical film about a US Senator intended to be shown in theaters and on-demand  cable.  The Supreme Court ordered re-argument to focus on the constitutionality of limiting corporations’ independent spending during campaigns for the Presidency and Congress.

Status:

Final Decision entered 1/21/10

Related Links

• Election Law Blog
• SCOTUS Blog
• Brennan Center for Justice, Campaign Finance Section
• Open Secrets
• National Conference on State Legislatures
• Open Congress/Sunlight Foundation
• State of Elections Blog
• The Campaign Legal Center
• Federal Elections Commission
• First Amendment Center
• Follow the Money Blog
• Pay to Play Blog

Supreme Court Documents

• Brief for the Alliance Defense Fund in Support of Appellant
• Brief for the US Chamber of Commerce in Support of Appellant
• Brief for the American Civil Rights Union in Support of Appellant
• Brief for the Foundation for Free Expression in Support of Appellant (filed 1/12/2009)
• Brief for the CATO Institute in Support of Appellant (filed 1/14/2009)
• Brief for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Support of Appellant (filed 1/15/2009)
• Brief for the Committee for Truth in Politics in Support of Appellant (filed 1/15/2009)
• Brief for the Center for Competitive Politics in Support of Appellant (filed 1/15/2009)
• Brief for the Institute for Justice in Support of Appellant (filed 2/2009)
• Brief for Senators John McCain and Russell Feingold, and former Representatives Christopher Shays and Martin Meehan in Support of Appellee (filed 2/2009)
• Brief for the Center for Political Accountability and the Center for Business Ethics Research in Support of Appellee (filed 2/23/2009)
• Brief for Appellant
• Brief for Appellee
• Reply Brief for Appellant
• Amicus Brief of Seven Former Chairmen and One Former Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission
• Amicus Brief of US Chamber of Commerce
• Amicus Brief of Wyoming Liberty Group, et al.
• Amicus Brief of Justice at Stake
• Amicus Brief of Sen. John McCain
• Amicus Brief of American Civil Rights Union
• Amicus Brief of AFL-CIO
• Amicus Brief of Former FEC Commissioners
• Amicus Brief of California First Amendment Coalition
• Amicus Brief of Campaign Finance Scholars
• Amicus Brief of Institute for Justice
• Amicus Brief of Judicial Watch
• Amicus Brief of Independent Sector
• Amicus Brief of the States of Montana, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia
• Amicus Brief of American Independent Business Alliance (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Campaign Legal Center, Democracy 21, Common Cause, U.S. PIRG, Americans for Campaign Reform, League of United Latin American Citizens and Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of League of Women Voters (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Program on Corporations, Law & Democracy; Women's International League for Peace & Democracy; Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County, Shays2: The Western Massachusetts Committee on Corporations & Democracy; and the Clements Foundation (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Fidelis Center (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Norman Ornstein (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Rep. Chris Van Hollen, David Price, Michael Castle, and John Lewis (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Pacific Legal Foundation (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence (filed 7/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Reporters Committee (filed 7/24/2009)
• Amicus Brief of American Civil Liberties Union (filed 7/29/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Center for Political Accountability and the Carol and Lawrence Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at the Wharton School (filed 7/30/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Public Good (filed 7/30/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Hachette Book Group, Inc. and HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C. (filed 7/30/2009)
• Amicus Brief for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce in Support of Appellant and Reversal of Austin V. Michigan Chamber of Commerce (filed 7/30/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Committee for Economic Development (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of the Democratic National Convention (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of the Center for Independent Media, Calitics.com, Eyebeam, Zak Exley, Laura McGann, and Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of The Sunlight Foundation (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Former Officials of the American Civil Liberties Union (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of American Justice Partnership (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of California Broadcasters Association (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Cato Institute (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Center for Competitive Politics (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of Free Speech Defense & Education Fund (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief of NRA (filed 7/31/2009)
• Amicus Brief for Senator Mitch McConnell in Support of Appellant (filed 7/31/2009)
• Supplemental Brief for the Appellee (filed 7/2009)
• Supplemental Brief for the Appellant (filed 7/24/2009)
• Supplemental Reply Brief for the Appellee (filed 8/2009)
• Supplemental Reply Brief for the Appellant (filed 8/19/2009)
• Oral Argument (held 9/9/2009)
• Decision (entered 1/21/2010)

District Court Documents

• District Court Decision (entered 1/15/2008)

Related EL@M Articles

• The Occlusion of Equality in Campaign Finance Law, Daniel P. Tokaji, March 31, 2010
• Citizens United: A Long-Term Perspective, Edward B. Foley, January 22, 2010
• Line-drawing after Overruling Austin, Edward B. Foley, September 9, 2009
• Citizens United, Stare Decisis, and Democracy, Edward B. Foley, July 31, 2009