Plaintiffs wanting to keep a decision in place that prohibits the state from limiting cash bail payouts and the Georgia Attorney General’s office presented oral arguments before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday. Senate Bill 63 called for limiting such payouts by charities, churches, nonprofits, and others to three times a year.
“Paying bail is not protected by the first amendment,” argued Solicitor General Steven Petrany. “It is not expressive; it is not close to expressive. The Supreme Court’s decision in Rumsfeld vs Fair plainly controls this case, and the District Court grievously erred in holding otherwise.”
Attorneys from the ACLU and Georgetown University represented the plaintiffs, John Vodicka and Steven Williams of Athens, and Barred Business in Atlanta.
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