Hobby Lobby and the Pathology of Citizens United
15 Pages
Posted: 18 May 2014
Last revised: 13 Jun 2014
University of Michigan Law School
Date Written: June 10, 2014
Abstract
This Essay explores a distinct way Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission promises to influence pending challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), and a host of cases to come. Specifically, the way Citizens United approached precedent will likely affect, and radiate well beyond, the current ACA challenges. Citizens United read a number of prior decisions to adopt rules those decisions deliberately chose not to espouse. While this is not an entirely new move for the Court, the contribution of Citizens United was to normalize this disconcerting stance. The Roberts Court seems increasingly comfortable approaching precedent just as it did in that case. This Essay identifies this move as a consistent practice across a number of decisions, and explains why it is cause for deep concern.
Keywords: Citizens United, Hobby Lobby, Affordable Care Act, precedent, Roberts Court
JEL Classification: K10, K30, K32, K40, K41
Suggested Citation:
Suggested Citation
Katz, Ellen D., Hobby Lobby and the Pathology of Citizens United (June 10, 2014). Duke Journal of Constitutional Law & Public Policy, Forthcoming; U of Michigan Public Law Research Paper No. 413. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2437958
