Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc.

Decided June 25, 2007. John Glover Roberts Jr. delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 06-969 · 551 U.S. 449 (2007) · Cited 666 times

Holding

Because schools may take steps to safeguard those entrusted to their care from speech that can reasonably be regarded as encouraging illegal drug use, the school officials in this case did not violate the First Amendment by confiscating the pro-drug banner and suspending Frederick.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 5–4.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• McConnell v. Federal Election Commission · 540 U.S. 93 (2003)
• Buckley v. Valeo · 424 U.S. 1 (1976)
• First Nat. Bank of Boston v. Bellotti · 435 U.S. 765 (1978)
• Austin v. Michigan State Chamber of Commerce · 494 U.S. 652 (1990)
• Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc. · 479 U.S. 238 (1986)
• Thomas v. Collins · 323 U.S. 516 (1945)
• Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition · 535 U.S. 234 (2002)
• United States v. International Union United Automobile, Aircraft & Agricultural Implement Workers · 352 U.S. 567 (1957)
• Payne v. Tennessee · 501 U.S. 808 (1991)
• Pipefitters Local Union No. 562 v. United States · 407 U.S. 385 (1972)
• Federal Election Commission v. National Right to Work Committee · 459 U.S. 197 (1982)
• Federal Election Commission v. Beaumont · 539 U.S. 146 (2003)
• National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People v. Button · 371 U.S. 415 (1963)
• Virginia v. Hicks · 539 U.S. 113 (2003)
• New York Times Co. v. Sullivan · 376 U.S. 254 (1964)
• City of Los Angeles v. Lyons · 461 U.S. 95 (1983)
• West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette · 319 U.S. 624 (1943)
• United States v. Classic · 313 U.S. 299 (1941)
• National League of Cities v. Usery · 426 U.S. 833 (1976)
• Miranda v. Arizona · 384 U.S. 436 (1966)
• Daniels v. Williams · 474 U.S. 327 (1986)
• Parratt v. Taylor · 451 U.S. 527 (1981)
• Edelman v. Jordan · 415 U.S. 651 (1974)
• Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Florida · 517 U.S. 44 (1996)
• Spencer v. Kemna · 523 U.S. 1 (1998)
• Shapiro v. Thompson · 394 U.S. 618 (1969)
• Miller v. California · 413 U.S. 15 (1973)
• Kastigar v. United States · 406 U.S. 441 (1972)
• Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey · 505 U.S. 833 (1992)
• Thornhill v. Alabama · 310 U.S. 88 (1940)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission · 558 U.S. 310 (2010)
• Davis v. Federal Election Commission · 554 U.S. 724 (2008)
• Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. v. PSKS, Inc. · 551 U.S. 877 (2007)
• McCutcheon v. Federal Election Comm'n · 572 U.S. 185 (2014)
• Morse v. Frederick · 551 U.S. 393 (2007)
• United States v. Rahimi · 602 U.S. 680 (2024)
• Fulton v. Philadelphia · 593 U.S. 522 (2021)
• Federal Election Comm'n v. Ted Cruz · 596 U.S. 289 (2022)
• Montejo v. Louisiana · 556 U.S. 778 (2009)
• Altria Group, Inc. v. Good · 555 U.S. 70 (2008)
• Janus v. State, County, and Municipal Employees · 585 U.S. 878 (2018)
• Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization · 597 U.S. 215 (2022)
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo · 592 U.S. 14 (2020)
• Alvarez v. Smith · 558 U.S. 87 (2009)
• 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis · 600 U.S. 570 (2023)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (2007). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).