Elon Law professor and Constitional Law scholar Scott Gaylord has provided analysis for several news organizations about the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case Town of Greece, N.Y. v Galloway.
Gaylord is the author of an amicus curiae brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of several county commissions in states across the country. In the brief, Gaylord contends that certain prayer policies are constitutional under the Court’s prior holdings in Marsh v. Chambers and Pleasant Grove City v. Summum, even though particular prayers may contain sectarian references.
His insights about the case have been featured in the following media coverage of the case:
“Greece prayer case heads to supreme court,” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Nov. 4, 2013.
“U.S. Supreme Court to consider prayer case,” News 14 Carolina, Nov. 4, 2013
“Prayer may take center stage in court,” High Point Enterprise, Nov 2, 2013.
“U.S. Supreme Court To Hear Government Prayer Case. What’s It Mean For Rowan Co. Dispute?” WFAE Radio, NPR affiliate, Charlotte, NC
“Precedents on the Line in New Term,” National Law Journal, Sept. 30, 2013 (subscription required).
“Prayer Circle,” National Law Journal, Aug. 21, 2013 (subscription required). An Elon report about this article is available here.
Gaylord’s amicus curiae brief and public analysis of Town of Greece v. Galloway expands on his research exploring jurisprudence at the intersection of the Constitution’s free speech and establishment clauses, examining the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s newly minted government speech doctrine on legislative prayer and other forms of facially religious government speech. Gaylord’s scholarship in this area includes the article, “When the Exception Becomes the Rule: Marsh and Sectarian Legislative Prayer Post-Summum,” published in 2011 in the University of Cincinnati Law Review.
More information about Elon Law Professor Scott Gaylord is available here.