Snyder v. Phelps (2011)

Snyder v. Phelps centered on the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church, which picketed the funeral of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder in 2006. The church carried signs with offensive, hyperbolic messages regarding the military and homosexuality. Snyder's father sued the church for intentional infliction of emotional distress and other torts, initially winning a substantial jury award.

The central legal question was whether the First Amendment protects protesters from civil liability when their speech is highly offensive and targets a funeral. While the District Court initially ruled in favor of the plaintiff, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned this, arguing that the speech addressed matters of public concern and was protected under the First Amendment.

In an 8-1 decision, the Supreme Court upheld the appellate court’s ruling. The Court determined that because the church's protest occurred on public land, complied with police instructions, and addressed broader matters of public concern, it was protected expression. The Court emphasized that even 'hurtful' speech that inflicts emotional distress is shielded by the First Amendment when it relates to public issues rather than purely private matters.