John Does 1-2, et al. v. Seattle Police Department, et al.

This Court has repeatedly held that the First Amendment protects an individual’s right to engage in anonymous political expression. See, e.g., Talley v. California, 362 U. S. 60, 64 (1960); Watchtower Bible & Tract Soc. of N. Y., Inc. v. Village of Stratton, 536 U. S. 150, 166–167 (2002). Nonetheless, the Washington State Supreme Court’s holding in Does 1, 2, 4, & 5 v. Seattle Police Dep’t, 563 P.3d 1037 (Wash.,

1. allows the widespread dissemination of an investigation targeting the circumstances of the lawful attendance of four off-duty Seattle Police Officers at a public rally in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021. The questions presented are:

2. Whether compelled public disclosure of politically sensitive information, including compelled statements regarding political beliefs, motivations, and associations, in response to public records requests, violates the First Amendment constitutional right to anonymous political expression and association.

3. Whether Petitioners’ First Amendment interest to proceed in litigation anonymously justifies their use of pseudonyms in a litigation seeking to preserve that very interest in anonymity.