Supreme Court Decisions: Cellphone searches, recess appointments and pro-life buffer zones

Supreme Court Protects Prolife Rights in Abortion Clinic Case   ...Ruling unanimously, the Supreme Court chose to overturn a 2007 Massachusetts law that created a “buffer zone” banning pro-life demonstrators from standing on sidewalks and public streets within 35 feet of abortion clinics’ driveways and entrances. For the pro-abortion movement, this was a strategy used to silence peaceful pro-life prayer warriors, sidewalk counsels and protestors speaking up for the rights of unborn babies and the health of their expectant mothers.

As the Church, we should thank God this day for the Supreme Court’s steps to uphold citizens’ freedom of speech on public sidewalks and streets. We also pray that the nine Justices’ sentiments to uphold freedom of speech extends to our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion...

Supreme Court Curbs President’s Power to Make Recess Appointments  The Supreme Court on Thursday dealt a significant blow to executive power, cutting back on the president’s power to issue recess appointments during brief breaks in the Senate’s work.

The court ruled unanimously that President Obama had violated the Constitution in 2012 by appointing officials to the National Labor Relations Board during a short break in the Senate’s work when the chamber was convening every three days in pro forma sessions. Those breaks were too short, Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote in a majority opinion joined by the court’s four more liberal members... NYT

Supreme Court limits cellphone searches after arrests  In a strong defense of digital age privacy, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that police may not generally search the cellphones of people they arrest without first getting search warrants.

Cellphones are powerful devices unlike anything else police may find on someone they arrest, Chief Justice John Roberts said for the court. Because the phones contain so much information, police must get a warrant before looking through them, Roberts said...