Alabama’s Supreme Court reached a decision in a case involving freedom of speech that was heard at a special session held on September 12th on the campus of LBW Community College.
Young Americans for Liberty from the University of Alabama in Huntsville was the subject of the case. They claim that rules regarding outdoor speech on campus are against the Alabama Campus Free Speech Act as well as the right to free speech protected by the Alabama Constitution.
The question was whether UAH’s policy to create “free speech zones”, will limit protected speech.
The court reversed the decision of the lower court that dismissed a student’s suit claiming that Huntsville’s free speech zones violated the Alabama Campus Free Speech Act. The policy in question required students to either submit a detailed application before speaking outdoors at the university or keep their speech within certain areas on campus. These areas were described in the suit by the plaintiff as being in the “peripheries” of campus.
Now, the case will be argued in full at the local circuit level. Justices have predicted that the student will “at minimum partially prevail” against the school’s policy. They also stated that it “plainly violates” state laws.
In Madison County, an earlier trial had resulted in the favor of the university by a jury. With the aim of obtaining a judgment for a fresh trial based on the errors in the original trial, the plaintiffs appealed to Alabama Supreme Court.
The September session of the court was held in advance to Constitution Day, Sept. 17, with students from local high schools and college.
Alabama Chief Justice Tom Parker stated that the state’s highest court holds special sessions in places other than Montgomery every year. He also said that these sessions are usually held in larger cities. The court has had sessions in Mobile, Huntsville and Birmingham over the past year.
The post Alabama Supreme Court grants a retrial in case at LBW appeared originally on The AndalusiaStar-News.
