Courthouse Steps Decision: Chiles v. Salazar

About this episode

The episode discusses the Supreme Court's decision in Chiles v. Salazar regarding the First Amendment and conversion therapy laws in Colorado.

Chiles v. Salazar addressed whether a Colorado law prohibiting “conversion therapy” violates the First Amendment. The case arose from a challenge to a Colorado law that limited what licensed therapists could say about gender and sexuality when counseling gay and transgender clients. Kaley Chiles, a professional counselor, argued that the law infringed her First Amendment right to free speech. On March 31, the Supreme Court issued an 8-1 decision in Chiles’s favor, holding that the law, as applied to her talk therapy, amounts to viewpoint-based regulation of speech. The Court also found that the lower courts failed to apply the rigorous level of scrutiny required by the First Amendment. Join us for a discussion on this decision and its implications for the future. Featuring: Paul Avelar, Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice Prof. Stephanie Barclay, Professor of Law and Faculty Co-Director for the Georgetown Center for the Constitution, Georgetown University Law Center (Moderator) Casey Mattox, Vice President for Legal Strategy, Stand Together; Senior Advisor, Americans for Prosperity

People in this episode

Host: Prof. Stephanie Barclay

Guests: Kaley Chiles, Paul Avelar, Casey Mattox

Topics covered

• First Amendment
• conversion therapy
• Supreme Court decision
• free speech
• gender and sexuality
• legal implications

Keywords

• Chiles v. Salazar
• First Amendment
• conversion therapy
• Supreme Court
• free speech
• Colorado law
• viewpoint-based regulation
• counseling
• gender
• sexuality

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Institute for Justice, Georgetown University Law Center, Stand Together, Americans for Prosperity

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