ACLJ to File Brief in Supreme Court Case Involving Cyber-Porn Issue.

Business Editors

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 22, 2001

The American Center for Law and Justice, an international public interest law firm, said today it will file a friend-of-the-court brief in a case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court involving the legality of banning computer-altered pictures that appear to show minors involved in sexual activity.

"There is a real need to work to limit child pornography and the appearance of child pornography on the Internet," said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ. "It is encouraging that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving a ban against sexual images of children. It is our position that Congress can constitutionally regulate such activities without violating the First Amendment."

The U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to hear a case involving the challenge of The Child Pornography Prevention Act passed by Congress that expanded a long-standing ban on child porn to prohibit any image that "appears to be" or "conveys the impression" of someone under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The law targets computer technologies that can be used to alter an innocent picture of a child into a depiction of a child engaged in sex.

A federal judge upheld the law, but it was overturned by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said the law violated the Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court said today it would hear the case.

"John Ashcroft has said that as Attorney General he will work hard to enforce all of the nation's laws," said Sekulow. "This will be an important challenge for an Ashcroft Justice Department - defending the Child Pornography Prevention Act. We will support the Justice Department's position in this case and file a friend-of-the-court brief in the case."

Sekulow said the ACLJ would assemble a coalition of lawmakers - including both members of the U.S. House and Senate - who support the law. Sekulow said the ACLJ would represent the legislative coalition in its friend-of-the-court brief to be filed at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The ACLJ has been involved for some time in the area of working to limit online pornography. In March 1999, Sekulow testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation that the use of computer filtering devices to protect children from sexually explicit material and pornography is constitutional and supported the passage of the Children's Internet Protection Act which was signed into law in late December. The ACLJ has said it will defend that new law that has been targeted by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The American Center for Law and Justice is an international public interest law firm focusing on constitutional issues. The ACLJ specializes in pro-family and pro-life issues. The Web site address is www.aclj.org.