On Wednesday June 12, 1996 at 9:00 am, a panel of three federal judges in Philadelphia, PA granted the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition's (CIEC) request for a preliminary injunction against the Communications Decency Act (CDA). In a unanimous decision, the judges ruled that the CDA would unconstitutionally restrict speech on the Internet.

• Full text of the decision (VERY LARGE file - 248k)
• Compressed file of decision text - .zip (PC) format

• Biography of CIEC Lead Counsel Bruce Ennis

• CIEC Press Release regarding Court Decision
• CIEC Update - Court Halts CDA! Join Online Chat Tomorrow (6/13)!

• Statement by President Clinton in reaction to Court Decision

• Press Releases regarding Court Decision:

• Selected Press Clips
  • HotWired's Netizen Special Report
  • San Jose Mercury News CDA Report

• Audio transcript of Virtual Victory Party, a post-decision online chat featuring CIEC lead counsel Bruce Ennis; Jerry Berman, CDT Executive Director; Bill Burrington, assistant general counsel, America Online; and Judith Krug, director of the Office For Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association

Related Developments

Court Orders Feds To Cease "Reviewing" Internet Complaints Pending Decision in CDA Case
May 16, 1996

In response to a complaint filed last week by the CIEC, a Federal Judge in Philadelphia Wednesday ordered the Justice Department to stop all "reviews" of complaints under the Communications Decency Act until the three-judge panel rules on the constitutionality of the law. The order was issued by Judge Stewart Dalzell, one of the three judges presiding over the case.

Second Federal Court Blocks CDA
July 30, 1996

On Monday July 29, a panel of three federal judges in New York issued a ruling finding the CDA unconstitutional. In Shea v. Reno, the Manhattan court ruled unanimously that the CDA bans constitutionally protected speech.

• New York Times CyberTimes article about the court decision (must be registered with New York Times web site to read article)
• CNN Interactive article about decision