Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone

Constitutional Law Prof Blog: Oral Argument in McCullen v. Coakley, the Clinic Buffer Zone Case, by Ruthann Robson:

The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in McCullen v. Coakley regarding a First Amendment challenge to a Massachusetts statute creating a fixed thirty-five-foot buffer zone around the entrances, exits, and driveways of medical facilities, including abortion clinics.  Recall that the First Circuit had rejected both a facial and as-applied challenge to the statute.  While the statute is a "time, place, manner" statute similar to others that had been upheld, throughout the arguments it often seemed as if the statute was being more than strictly scrutinzed. . . .