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Board Of Regents Of Sonnet V Southworth Case Summary

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Case: Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System v. Southworth, 529 U.S. 217 (2000). Facts: The parties to this lawsuit include the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (Petitioner), and Scott Harold Southworth, a student at the University of Wisconsin (Respondent). In this particular case, the dispute revolves around an “activity fee” imposed on the students by the University, which the students are required to pay. This fee is partially used to support registered student organizations, some of which participate in political and/or ideological speech. Southworth and two other students originally sued the University in Federal Court, where they challenged the constitutionality of the mandatory “activity fee,” namely how the funds were allocated. The US District Court granted summary judgment in favor of Southworth and his classmates. The University then attempted to appeal this decision in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals upheld the District Court’s judgment and refused …show more content…

Holding: No, the Court unanimously held for judgment IN FAVOR of the University, concluding that the University was NOT in violation of the First Amendment rights of certain students by imposing such a compulsory “activity fee” on all students, the funds of which are partially used by the University to support registered student organizations that are at odds with the viewpoints and beliefs of certain other students. 6/9 Justices provided the Court’s holding and majority opinion — Justice Kennedy, joined by Justices Rehnquist, O’Conner, Scalia, Thomas and Ginsburg, delivered the Court’s unanimous judgement and the Court’s majority

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