Eleventh Circuit Adopts Legal Position Advocated by Spotswood Attorneys

In a case challenging an Alabama law on constitutional grounds, the plaintiffs subpoenaed information from state legislators, the current governor, and a former governor regarding passage of the law. The state officials moved to quash the subpoenas due to legislative privilege, but the district court refused. On appeal, Spotswood Sansom & Sansbury and a leading expert filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the legislative privilege on behalf of a bipartisan membership organization that serves state legislators and legislative staffs nationwide. The Eleventh Circuit reversed, concluding that the information sought was protected by the legislative privilege. Its discussion and application of the legislative privilege was consistent with and most fully briefed in our client’s amicus brief.