Supreme Court to Address Free Speech Dispute Involving New Jersey Attorney General

The U.S. Supreme Court has taken up a long-awaited case involving First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a Christian-based nonprofit that provides services to women facing unplanned pregnancies. The case centers on a dispute between the organization and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, who subpoenaed the group’s donor records over allegations that the centers misled donors about the reproductive services they offer. The First Choice coalition, which includes five separate pregnancy centers, argued that the subpoena violated its First Amendment rights by potentially chilling its free speech. The lawsuit was dismissed by lower courts, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the claim, prompting the Supreme Court to intervene. The legal battle now focuses on a key question: whether the subpoena must first be addressed in state court or if federal courts have jurisdiction. Attorneys for First Choice claimed that the subpoena was invasive, demanding thousands of donor records and seeking to expose the nonprofit’s funding sources. Platkin, who has publicly expressed hostility toward pregnancy centers, contended that the subpoena targeted only donors who gave money through two specific websites, with the aim of verifying the accuracy of the centers’ communications about reproductive services. The case has drawn attention due to its potential implications for free speech and government oversight. It also reflects a broader debate over the role of religious organizations in providing reproductive health services and the limits of state power in regulating such activities. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in October 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing legal battle.