Today in Supreme Court History: December 30

Louisiana v. Hill, 141 S.Ct. 1232 (decided December 30, 2020):  Hill was convicted of statutory rape and “SEX OFFENDER” was put on his driver’s license.  He was convicted of scratching the words off.  He won on his argument that this was “compelled speech” in violation of the First Amendment, both in the trial court and the Louisiana Supreme Court (341 So.3d 539).  Here Alito denies Louisiana’s motion for a stay; its petition for cert was then denied, 142 S.Ct. 311 (2021).  (This reminds me of the “D” for debtor branded onto the temples of those who had gone to debtors’ prison, though in that case there was a purpose for it -- to discourage anyone from lending them money; see the John Carradine character in “Son of Fury”, 1942.)

Klutznick v. Carey, 449 U.S. 1068 (decided December 30, 1980): The District Court found that the Census had undercounted New York, particularly in poor and minority areas, and precluded certification of the results.  Here the Court grants the Solicitor’s motion to stay that order.  The Second Circuit later reversed, holding that New York’s statistical adjustment proposal would be unfair to other states, 653 F.2d 732 (the Court then denied cert).