Hill v. Colorado
Hill v. Colorado, 530 U.S. 703 (2000), was a United States Supreme Court decision. The Court ruled 6–3 that the First Amendment right to free speech was not violated by a Colorado law limiting protest, education, distribution of literature, or counseling within eight feet of a person entering a healthcare facility. Background. In response to protesting at abortion clinics, Colorado legislated that protesters within one hundred feet of any healthcare facility may not approach within eight feet of any other person without consent for the purpose of protest, education, distribution of literature, or counseling. Question. Does the  Colorado law potentially violate the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of citizens outside healthcare facilities? Decision. Majority opinion. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the majority opinion: Souter's concurring opinion. Justices David Souter, Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Stephen Breyer concurred: Scalia and Thomas's dissenting opinions. Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented: Kennedy's dissenting opinion. Justice Anthony Kennedy dissented: