From Trial Court to the United States Supreme Court: Anatomy of a Free Speech Case: The Incredible Inside Story Behind the Theft of the St. Patrick's [Hardcover]

Paul J. Walkowski (Author), William M. Connolly (Author), Adolph Caso (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1996

In March 1994 news organisations from around America and the world focused considerable attention on what appeared to be a relatively minor parade controversy boiling over on the streets of the predominantly working-class community of South Boston. After three years of legal wrangling, the state's highest court was about to speak to the question of whether sponsors of a traditionally-themed and privately organised St. Patrick's Day Parade could ban, without violating the state's public accommodation law, a gay activist group from marching behind a banner proclaiming its homosexual orientation. When the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the decision of the trial court that the Allied War Veterans Council's traditional parade, replete with Irish flags, shamrocks, bag-pipe bands, pro-life, POW, political, religious and cultural message, was not expressive enough to be protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and because of this, could not exclude a group with an antithetical, non-traditional message from participating, the stage was set for a historic constitutional confrontation. In this important book on how the dismantling of the First Amendment occurred, the authors chronicle the social and legal arguments from trial court all the way to the United States Supreme Court, offering the reader a rare glimpse into how a legal controversy makes its way to the nation's highest court against a network of biased court judges, politically correct law firms, a state anti-discrimination agency, academe, and a timid municipal administration.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In early 1992, the Irish-American Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Group of Boston (GLIB) petitioned to march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which was sponsored by the Allied War Veterans Council of South Boston. When their petition was rejected, a member of GLIB filed a lawsuit claiming the violation of his rights under the First Amendment. Three days before the parade, a Massachusetts Superior Court Judge ruled that GLIB should be allowed to march. That decision was subsequently upheld on appeal and not overturned until the time of the 1995 parade, when a Federal District judge ruled that the veterans group could bar members of GLIB. On June 19, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously "upheld the right of private parade organizers around the U.S. to define their own speech in their own parades." Connolly, a Boston lawyer, and Walkowski (The Will of God) have written an extremely intricate and legalistic book that will be of interest mostly to the legal community. Photos.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Paul J Walkowski and William M Connolly

Product Details

• Hardcover: 630 pages
• Publisher: Branden Books; 1St Edition edition (May 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0828320128
• ISBN-13: 978-0828320122
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,842,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure and Simple a great book about the law!, January 9, 2000

By 

Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: From Trial Court to the United States Supreme Court: Anatomy of a Free Speech Case: The Incredible Inside Story Behind the Theft of the St. Patrick's (Hardcover)

The first amendment gives us the right to free speech and for the most part this is a fairly simple concept right? Well in 1994 in Massachusetts this became a complex legal issue that turned a simple parade into chaos.

Riveting from beginning to the very end, this 600-page fact filled legal expose on how our court system really works, is like nothing else you'll ever read. The authors take you on a journey from the state court right the steps of the highest court in the land.

Using actual trial transcripts and painstaking detail, the author's leave no stone unturned. I was simply amazed at how much information was packed into the book. I was simply astounded by the way the system works.

Law professors and students of law need to take and read this work. It is most likely the best book of the first amendment law. A great work in the legal field and a very good read - well done!

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-writen First Amendment primer., August 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: From Trial Court to the United States Supreme Court: Anatomy of a Free Speech Case: The Incredible Inside Story Behind the Theft of the St. Patrick's (Hardcover)

As an attorney, what I found most interesting about this book was the use of trial transcripts to help frame the debate on the larger First Amendment constitutional issues. The authors did a superb job of telling a complex story from beginning to end. I would recommend some of my old professors take a close look at this work, and consider using it in trial advocacy and constitutional law classes. I don't remember anything like this when I was at school, but can say it told me a lot more about how the judicial process works than I learned in the classroom.

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and Informative, June 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: From Trial Court to the United States Supreme Court: Anatomy of a Free Speech Case: The Incredible Inside Story Behind the Theft of the St. Patrick's (Hardcover)

By far, this book tops all others on how our courts operate. The authors have given a detailed look at the legal system at every level, state and federal, and cover so much territory in so short a space that the book borders on being overwhelming. This is the definitive book on "process". Using rich citation to trial transcripts the authors show in meticulous detail how some judges try to unwrap constitutional guarantees to achieve what they think the law shoud be. I read three other works which aspired to this detail: "Out of Order", "Civil Action" and "Closed Chambers" and can state that none were as insightful as this. This is truly a remarkable work, and should be mandatory reading in every law school in this country.