O.F.F. et al. v. Brown — Update and analysis
B.L.U.F. Trial is held, state asks for a Judgement
Recent History
On June 1, 2023, the judge revised his order and granted the defendants (bad guys) motion to dismiss as-applied challenges to Ballot Measure 114. The state argued, and the court found persuasive, that since the permitting provisions are not implemented yet, there is no violation. The plaintiffs (good guys) are allowed to refile once the permitting provisions are actually implemented.
There are two types of challenges, “as-applied” and “facial”
—David L. Hudson Jr, Facial Challenges, (last visited Jun. 14, 2023)
The Court’s order says that there is no violation of the plaintiffs’ rights because nothing has happened. To use a different type of example, consider a suspect that is being interviewed regarding a crime. He asks for a lawyer, but the cops keep asking him questions.
There is no constitutionality issue regarding the police interviewing suspects. If the suspect challenges that there is a constitutional issue, it is only his rights that were violated, not yours, not mine. This would be an “as-applied” case.
As-applied cases normally do not have far-reaching implications. On the other hand, sometimes they do: —Miranda v. Arizona, 10 Ohio Misc. 9 (Supreme Court 1966)
The other side of the coin is the “facial” challenge. In a facial challenge, the entire law or regulation can be found to be unconstitutional. This is one of the issues the government is arguing in —United States v. Rahimi, 61 F. 4th 443 (5th Cir. 2023). Rahimi was convicted for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He had a domestic violence restraining order against him, which made him a prohibited person.
Rahimi’s lawyers made a facial challenge against —Unlawful Acts, 18 U.S.C. § 922 sec. g (U.S. 1968). The 5th Cir. found for Rahimi. The state would like this to be an “as-applied” because that would mean it the ruling doesn’t extend to anybody else.