Summary
A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, censorship-zone law, similar to a Massachusetts law the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2014, prohibits speech and advocacy—including prayer—in painted zones outside medical facility entrances. The city chose to paint and enforce such censorship zones on the public sidewalk outside only two facilities in the entire metropolitan area—Pittsburgh’s two abortion facilities—targeting face-to-face conversations by pro-life sidewalk counselors.
Watch
Press Releases
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January 11th, 2021US Supreme Court declines to take case concerning Pittsburgh’s censorship zone law -
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April 30th, 2020Broad support for US Supreme Court to reject Pittsburgh’s censorship zones
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March 26th, 2020Sidewalk counselors ask US Supreme Court to review Pittsburgh censorship-zone law
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October 18th, 2019Appeals court rules Pittsburgh censorship zones can’t exclude pro-life sidewalk counselors
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January 12th, 2018Challenge to Pittsburgh censorship zones heads to appeals court again -
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June 1st, 20163rd Circuit reinstates lawsuit against Pittsburgh censorship zones
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March 26th, 2015ADF to 3rd Circuit: Pittsburgh censorship zones violate free speech
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September 5th, 2014ADF files suit against Pittsburgh censorship zones
Case Documents
Court
Title
Date
U.S. Supreme Court
4/29/2020
Additional Resources
Case Profiles
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John Bursch
Senior Counsel, Vice President of Appellate Advocacy
John Bursch is senior counsel and vice president of appellate advocacy with Alliance Defending Freedom. Bursch has argued 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases and three dozen state supreme court cases, and he has successfully litigated six matters with at least $1 billion at stake.
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Kevin Theriot
Senior Counsel
Kevin Theriot serves as senior counsel and vice president of the Center for Life with Alliance Defending Freedom