Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Father John Gallagher v. Diocese of Palm Beach, Inc.
Paid petition · District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District, No. 4D17-2579 · judgment May 9, 2018
Certiorari denied · April 22, 2019
Pre-decision estimate: 0% cert probability
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
Whether the priest is barred by the First Amendment from bringing a defamation action against a church when the defamatory statements are published outside the church, are not related to church doctrine, and implicate matters of public safety.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Bard D. Rockenbach
Burlington & Rockenbach, P.A.
For respondent
Mark Edward Chopko
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP
Proceedings
- Apr 22 2019Motion for leave to file amicus brief filed by CHILD USA GRANTED.
- Apr 22 2019Petition DENIED.
- Apr 02 2019DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/18/2019.
- Mar 14 2019Brief of respondent Diocese of Palm Beach, Inc. in opposition filed.
- Feb 21 2019Motion for leave to file amicus brief filed by CHILD USA.
- Feb 13 2019Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including March 15, 2019.
- Feb 11 2019Motion to extend the time to file a response from February 25, 2019 to March 15, 2019, submitted to The Clerk.
- Jan 22 2019Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due February 25, 2019)
- Nov 21 2018Application (18A524) granted by Justice Thomas extending the time to file until January 20, 2019.
- Nov 09 2018Application (18A524) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from November 21, 2018 to January 20, 2019, submitted to Justice Thomas.