Supreme Court Denies Review In Prof's Religious Speech Case

The U.S. Supreme Court today denied certiorari in Payne v. University of Southern Mississippi, (Docket No. 16-290, cert. denied 11/14/2016) (Order List).  In the case, a Mississippi federal district court held that the 1st Amendment does not preclude a faculty member at a public university being disciplined for religious speech made as part of his duties as a professor. (See prior posting.) The decision was affirmed at 643 Fed. Appx. 409 (5th Cir., April 12, 2016).