No. 24-932

Pierre Kory, et al. v. Rob Bonta, Attorney General of California, et al.

Lower Court: Ninth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-02-27
Status: Pending
Type: Paid
Amici (1)Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2)
Tags: content-neutrality first-amendment medical-communication physician-speech strict-scrutiny viewpoint-discrimination
Key Terms:
FirstAmendment DueProcess Privacy JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2025-06-18 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Ninth Circuit's rule that all physician communications with patients are unprotected by the First Amendment is consistent with NIFLA and standard First Amendment analysis

Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Should this Court grant this petition to resolve the widening conflict between the Ninth Circuit, which started in Tingley v. Ferguson , 47 F.4th 1055 (9th Cir. 2022), reh den ., 57 F.4th 1072 (9th Cir. 2023) (with vigorous dissents), cert den . 144 S. Ct. 33 (2023) (dis. opns. of. Thomas, J. & Alito, J.) and the Eleventh Circuit in Otto v. City of Boca Ratan, 981 F.3d 854 (11th Cir. 2020), reh. den ., 41 F.4th 1271 (11th Cir. 2022) (with vigorous dissents). The conflict originally was whether physicians’ speech which is the treatment is fully First Amendment protected per Otto, or categorically excluded from protection per Tingley . The conflict has been expanded by the Ninth Circuit in this case which stated that no speech by physicians to patients is protected because it is all incidental to medical care. 2. Is the lower courts’ rule of law that all physician communications with patients are unprotected by the First Amendment consistent with or foreclosed by Nat’l Inst. of Fam. & Life Advocs. v. Becerra , 585 U.S. 755 (2018) (“ NIFLA ”) and standard First Amendment content and viewpoint analysis. If foreclosed, does that make Respondents’ interpretation of Business and Professions Code Section 2234(c) unconstitutionally overbroad? 3. If the speech in this case is fully protected, have the Respondents satisfied their strict scrutiny burden? ii 4. Have Petitioner physicians established their standing to challenge the Respondents’ enforcement policy sanctioning so-called “Covid misinformation” and/ or have the Petitioner organizations established standing to assert the right of patients to hear the information targeted by the Respondents under Murthy v. Missouri , 603 U.S. 43 (2024)?

Docket Entries

2025-06-03
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/18/2025.
2025-05-29
2025-05-29
2025-05-16
Brief of Rob Bonta et al. in opposition submitted.
2025-05-16
2025-04-16
Amicus brief of America's Frontline Doctors and Dr. Simone Gold, M.D., J.D. submitted.
2025-04-16
2025-03-31
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including May 16, 2025.
2025-03-28
Motion of Rob Bonta et al. for an extension of time submitted.
2025-03-28
Motion to extend the time to file a response from April 16, 2025 to May 16, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
2025-03-17
Response Requested. (Due April 16, 2025)
2025-03-12
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/28/2025.
2025-03-07
Waiver of right of respondents California Attorney General Rob Bonta, et al. to respond filed.
2025-02-25
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 31, 2025)

Attorneys

America's Frontline Doctors and Dr. Simone Gold, M.D., J.D.
David Anthony DaliaDavid A. Dalia, Amicus
David Anthony DaliaDavid A. Dalia, Amicus
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, et al.
Anya BinsaccaCalifornia Department of Justice, Respondent
Anya BinsaccaCalifornia Department of Justice, Respondent
Pierre Kory
Richard A. JaffeRichard Jaffe, Esq. , Petitioner
Richard A. JaffeRichard Jaffe, Esq., Petitioner
Rob Bonta et al.
Joshua A. KleinCalifornia Department of Justice, Respondent
Joshua A. KleinCalifornia Department of Justice, Respondent
Joshua PatashnikCalifornia Department of Justice, Respondent