The National Socialist Party of America v. The Village of Skokie

Who are the National Socialists?

The National Socialists were the Nazi Party of America, a small group that followed Nazi ideology.

What did Frank Collin want and how did the town respond to his request?

He wanted to hold a march in Skokie to protest a park permit fee. The town responded by seeking a court order to block the protest, arguing it could lead to violence.

What is a Preliminary Injunction?

A preliminary injunction is a court order that temporarily stops an action until a final decision is made in the case.

What did the Cook County Court do? What does "enjoining" mean?

It issued an injunction preventing the Nazi Party from marching and displaying the swastika.

"Enjoining" means legally prohibiting someone from doing something.

How did the Nazis respond to the District Court? What happened?

They appealed the injunction, but both the Illinois appellate court and the Illinois Supreme Court denied their request. Then, they took their case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

What is a "stay"?

A stay is a court order that temporarily stops a legal ruling from being enforced until further review.

What issue did the U.S. Supreme Court have to settle in this case? What amendment and freedom is this case really about?

The Court had to decide whether Illinois unjustifiably denied the Nazi Party’s request for a stay of the injunction.

This case is about the First Amendment and the freedom of speech.

What is a Per Curiam Opinion?

It is a court decision issued by the court as a whole, without a specific judge being credited as the author.

Who won this case? What precedent does this set?

The Nazi Party won. The case set the precedent that even offensive speech is protected under the First Amendment, meaning the government cannot block speech just because it is offensive or unpopular.

Should hate speech be considered free speech? Why or why not?

This is a difficult question. While some speech is offensive and harmful, protecting all speech—including unpopular opinions—is essential to maintaining freedom of expression and ensuring that minority opinions are not suppressed.