Tag: Establishment Clause

Government edicts doctrine

SCOTUS Bladensburg Cross Decision Offers Guidance to Local Governments

In The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, 588 U. S. ____ (2019), the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Bladensburg Cross does not run afoul of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. While the Court’s plurality decision does not establish a bright-line test, it does provide guidance for local governments faced with questions

Municipal Holiday Displays: Spreading Cheer Without Legal Headaches

Municipal Holiday Displays: Spreading Cheer Without Legal Headaches

With the holidays around the corner, festive displays of Christmas trees, colored lights, menorahs, nativities, reindeer, and snowmen will soon be popping up across New Jersey. While private property owners can decorate as they wish, public entities must be mindful of the constitutional separation of church and state. Under the