Heffernan v. City of Paterson

Becket Role:
Amicus

Scoreboard

Decision:
Won
Decision Date:
April 26, 2016
Deciding Court:
U.S. Supreme Court

Decision

Case Summary

In 2006 New Jersey police officer Jeffrey Heffernan was spotted picking up a campaign sign for the candidate opposing the mayor of Paterson. Officer Heffernan didn’t live in the city and was picking up the sign for his bed-ridden mother. And in any case, the Constitution protects nonpolitical employees who decide to get involved in elections. None of that mattered to the chief of police, who demoted Officer Heffernan from detective to patrol officer as punishment for opposing the sitting mayor. Officer Heffernan sued the city, the mayor, and the police chief of Paterson, New Jersey for violating his freedom of speech and association. Becket joined his fight in a friend-of-the-court brief at the Supreme Court explaining how important it is to protect freedom of assembly, and citing scholars such as Washington University School of Law Professor John Inazu, who advocate that approach. Officer Heffernan was represented by Mark B. Frost & Associates, UCLA School of Law Supreme Court Clinic, and Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP.

 

Case Information

Becket Role:
Amicus
Case Start Date:
August 17, 2006
Deciding Court:
U.S. Supreme Court
Original Court:
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Supreme Court Status:
Decided
Practice Area(s):