ACLJ: Free Speech Victory for Pittsburghers

(Washington, DC)A significant win has just been secured for all Pittsburghers.

U.S. District Judge David S. Cercone granted a request for an injunction that will prohibit the City of Pittsburgh from enforcing an ordinance that would prohibit free speech by pro-life advocates.  The ordinance in question, Pittsburgh Ordinance 601.02, is being contested by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) on behalf of its pro-life clients.  If enforced, the ordinance would restrict the rights of plaintiffs and others to distribute literature within the city of Pittsburgh.

"We are very pleased with the court's ruling today, said ACLJ Sr. Attorney Ed White.  The ruling is significant because our clients (and others) may freely distribute their pro-life leaflets in the City of Pittsburgh without fear of being fined.  The ruling is a great step in the right direction towards the final resolution of this lawsuit."

In issuing his ruling, Judge Cercone noted that Supreme Court decisions [s]uggest that preventing littering is simply not a sufficiently significant interest to preclude leafletting.

Pittsburgh attorney Noah P. Fardo of the law firm Flaherty Fardo LLC is working with the ACLJ on the case.

The courts ruling is available here.  In October, a federal judge granted the ACLJ's motion for a Temporary Restraining Order in the case clearing the way for our clients to proceed with leaflet distribution.  That is posted here. 

Led by Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow, the American Center for Law and Justice focuses on constitutional law and is based in Washington, D.C.