A former Texas city councilwoman may pursue a lawsuit claiming that officials had abused their power by arresting her in retaliation for exercising her First Amendment rights, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.
The court’s five-page opinion was unsigned, which is unusual in argued cases.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. issued a 16-page concurring opinion, writing only for himself.
The unsigned opinion said an appeals court had taken “an overly cramped view” of the evidence required to prove a retaliatory arrest.
The appeals court should have considered, the opinion said, objective evidence presented by the councilwoman, Sylvia Gonzalez, that the criminal law under which she had been charged had never been used in the county in similar circumstances.
Persons:
Samuel A, Alito Jr, Clarence Thomas, Sylvia Gonzalez
Locations:
Texas