Drake v. Jerejian — Amicus Brief challenging New Jersey’s Concealed Carry Laws

admin Constitutional Law, Firearms Law, U. S. Supreme Court

In New Jersey, it is a crime to possess a firearm unless you can prove that you fit within one or more tightly-drawn statutory exemptions. One exemption allows a person to have a handgun on his own property, but he may not step one foot beyond unless the gun is fully disabled and he is heading to an approved destination.

New Jersey carry permits are like honest politicians — they are rumored to Read More

Herb Titus Addresses Virginia House of Delegates Republican Caucus

admin Appearances

Herb Titus was invited to address the Republican Caucus of the Virginia House of Delegates on HJR 9 — a call for a national constitutional convention for proposing amendments to the United States Constitution.

Herb explained that while the concept of using Article VI to address erroneous judicial decisions might seem tempting, it was fraught with risk. Unlike the process by which Congress may submit Read More

Obamacare Contraception/Abortion Services Mandate Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius U.S. Supreme Court Amicus Brief

admin Constitutional Law, U. S. Supreme Court

The story is told of a grizzled Master Sargent who, reflecting on his years of service, said: “When I joined up, homosexuality was prohibited; now it’s tolerated; and I darn sure am getting out before it’s mandatory.” So it is with respect to homosexual and abortion rights. First, the goal is said to be tolerance. Then, governmental approval and support. Lastly, any pretense of tolerance Read More

Quinn v. Texas Brief Filed Opposing No-Knock Home Raids

admin Firearms Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Every day we read about SWAT teams serving arrest warrants or search warrants at people’s homes, using no-knock raids in the middle of the night. Many of these police home invasions go wrong, with innocent people being shot, and sometimes killed, just because they were trying to defend themselves.  Even criminals have learned to claim that they are the police while breaking into homes, to discourage Read More

Chris Hedges v. Barack Obama Amicus Brief urges Supreme Court to bar NDAA Military Detentions of Citizens

admin Constitutional Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today our firm has filed our third amicus brief in support of Chris Hedges and the other journalists and political activists who are challenging Section 1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr1540enr/pdf/BILLS-112hr1540enr.pdf), and its authorization of Read More

Article: New York Times covers our 2013 brief in NLRB v. Canning and Bill Olson’s 1981 Recess Appointment by President Reagan

admin Press Coverage

Today the New York Times ran an article by its Chief Washington Correspondent Carl Hulse which discussed our brief in the NLRB v. Canning case being argued Monday. The article, entitled “Role Reversals Emerge in Dispute Over Obama’s Recess Appointments,” discussed Bill Olson’s recess appointment by President Reagan in 1981 to be Chairman of the Board of the Legal Services Read More

United States v. James Alvin Castleman Amicus Brief in the United States Supreme Court

admin Firearms Law, U. S. Supreme Court

On December 23, 2013, our firm filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. v. Castleman, in support of the grant of a petition for certiorari. This case involves the meaning of the term “physical force” contained in the federal law defining misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence (“MCDV”), popularly known as the Lautenberg Amendment

Passed in 1996, the Lautenberg Amendment Read More

Comments to ATF on NFA Weapons

admin Administrative Law, Firearms Law

Today, our firm submitted comments on behalf of Gun Owners of America and Gun Owners Foundation to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) opposing an ATF Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

ATF’s proposed rule PR would change the requirements for applications to make or transfer certain National Firearms Act firearms and devices. Many CLEOs are opposed to an armed citizenry Read More

Bruce James Abramski v. US — Amicus Brief in the United States Supreme Court (on the Merits)

admin Firearms Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today, our firm filed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Abramski v. United States, in a case challenging the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms’ (ATF) definition of what constitutes an illegal “straw purchase” of a firearm. This case involves one of the greatest instances of regulatory and prosecutorial abuse that we have ever seen.

The concept of a “straw purchase” Read More

National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning — Amicus Brief for Citizens United

admin Constitutional Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today our firm filed an amicus brief in the case of National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning, et al. in the United States Supreme Court, in support of the respondents.

In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering the scope and limitations of the President’s recess appointment power.

Our brief was filed on behalf of Citizens United, Citizens United Foundation, U.S. Justice Foundation, Read More

FEC Issues Advisory Opinion Sought by Citizens for Joseph Miller

admin Administrative Law, Election Law

Representing Alaska Senate candidate Joseph Miller’s campaign committee, Bill Olson appeared before the Federal Election Commission today to answer questions about the facts underlying Advisory Opinion Request No. 13-11 filed by the firm on the campaign’s behalf. After a lengthy discussion, the FEC approved the Advisory Opinion on a 5-1 vote. The Commission ruled that the Committee’s Read More

Order Granting TSCL Motion in Part in FOIA Case Seeking Documents on US/Mexico Totalization Agreement

admin FOIA Law, Litigation

On October 30, 2013, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the disclosure of certain records relating to the U.S./Mexico Social Security Toatalization Agreement that we have been seeking for our client, The Senior Citizens League. Here is the Order and the Opinion.

A story about this decision appeared in Courthouse News Service entitled Read More

Southwest Radio Bible Ministry Conference

admin Appearances

Bill Olson gave two presentations at a conference on Bible Prophecy sponsored by the Southwest Bible Radio Church.  One presentation was on:  Why a Constitutional Convention Could Mean the End of Freedom in America, and Modern Judicial Techniques Used to Circumvent Constitutional Text.

Bill Olson speaks at Constitution Day Tea Party Event

admin Appearances

Bill Olson spoke on the topic of  “Techniques that the U.S. Supreme Court uses to Override the Constitutional Text.”  The event was the Constitution Day Dinner of the Northern Shenandoah Valley Tea Party in Winchester, Virginia.

Howard Wesley Cotterman v. US — Amicus Brief

admin Constitutional Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today our firm filed an amicus brief in the case of Howard Wesley Cotterman v. United States in the United States Supreme Court in support of petitioner.

In this case, the Ninth Circuit determined that the federal government may seize, copy, and forensically analyze the hard drive of a laptop of a U.S. citizen returning to the country, without a warrant, based merely on “reasonable suspicion.” Read More

Rocky Mountain Gun Owners et al. v. John C. Hickenlooper Complaint in the District Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado

admin District Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado, Firearms Law, Litigation

Today a complaint was filed in the case of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners,et al. v. John C. Hickenlooper in the District Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado on behalf of plaintiffs Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, National Association for Gun Rights, Inc., John A. Sternberg, and DV-S,LLC, d/b/a Alpine Arms. This case is a constitutional challenge of two Colorado firearm laws, Read More

National Rifle Association, et al. v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, et al. Amicus Brief for The Lincoln Institute for Research and Education, et al. in the United States Supreme Court

admin Firearms Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today, our firm filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, in support of a petition for certiorari filed by the National Rifle Association, challenging the federal prohibition against the purchase of firearms by 18-20 year olds.

Our brief noted that in the five years since Heller was decided, the lower courts have refused to follow the Heller framework for deciding cases based Read More

Tim Moose v. William Scott MacDonald Amicus Brief for Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall, et al. in the United States Supreme Court

admin Constitutional Law, U. S. Supreme Court

Today our firm filed an amicus brief in the case of Tim Moose v. William Scott MacDonald in the United States Supreme Court in support of petitioner.

Our brief was filed on behalf of Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall, Virginia Senator Dick Black, Public Advocate of the United States, U.S. Justice Foundation, Institute on the Constitution, The Lincoln Institute for Research and Education, The Abraham Read More