Simon & Schuster v. Crime Victims Board

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Simon & Schuster v. Crime Victims Board
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued October 15, 1991
Decided December 10, 1991
Full case name: Simon & Schuster, INC., petitioner v. Members of New York State Crime Victims Board et al.
Citations: 502 U.S. 105
Prior history: On certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Holding
The New York Son of Sam law violated the First Amendment.
Court membership
Chief Justice: William Rehnquist
Associate Justices: Byron White, Harry Blackmun, John Paul Stevens, Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas
Case opinions
Majority by: O'Connor
Joined by: Rehnquist, White, Stevens, Scalia, Souter
Concurrence by: Blackmun
Concurrence by: Kennedy
Thomas took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amend. I, Son of Sam law

Simon & Schuster v. Crime Victims Board, 502 U.S. 105 (1991), was a Supreme Court case dealing with Son of Sam laws, which are state laws that prevent convicted criminals from publishing books about their crime for profit. The court struck down the Son of Sam law in New York on the ground that the law was violative of the First Amendment, which protects free speech. Nevertheless, similar laws in other states remain unchallenged. The opinion of the court was written by Sandra Day O'Connor.