Just Security is tracking the various efforts to use section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to bar individuals who engaged in the January 6th attack from serving in public office. The information below is also contained in our continually updated January 6th Clearinghouse.
I. Backgrounders
- Mark A. Graber, Their Fourteenth Amendment, Section 3 and Ours, Just Security (Feb. 16, 2021)
- Liz Hempowicz, David Janovsky, Norman L. Eisen, Quo Warranto Processes: States and Territories Survey, Project On Government Oversight (Jan. 26, 2023)
- Congressional Research Service, The Insurrection Bar to Holding Office: Appeals Court Issues Decision on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment (June 1, 2022)
- Congressional Research Service, The Insurrection Bar to Office: Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment (September 7, 2022)
- Free Speech for People, States Can Enforce Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment without Any New Federal Legislation (Mar. 2023)
- Liz Hempowicz, David Janovsky, Norman L. Eisen, The Constitution’s Disqualification Clause Can Be Enforced Today, Project On Government Oversight (Nov. 15, 2022)
II. Litigation
New Mexico Residents’ Lawsuit to Remove Couy Griffin from Office
New Mexico Commissioner Couy Griffin was indicted by the Department of Justice in February 2021, found guilty in March 2022, and sentenced in June 2022.
- Complaint (Mar. 21, 2022)
- Exhibits (Mar. 21, 2022)
- Notice of Hearing (June 7, 2022)
- Hearing Order (June 7, 2022)
- Scheduling Order (June 14, 2022)
- Notice of Struck Deposition (July 5, 2022)
- Griffin Deposition Transcript (July 20, 2022)
- Motion to Admit Prior Trial Testimony, Exhibits and Records (July 22, 2022)
- Motion to Limit Scope of Defendant’s Cross Examination (July 22, 2022)
- Griffin Motion to Quash and Dismiss (July 25, 2022)
- Plaintiff Exhibit List (July 25, 2022)
- Plaintiff Witness List (July 25, 2022)
- Pretrial Order (July 27, 2022)
- Struck Deposition Transcript (July 27, 2022)
- Plaintiff Motion (July 28, 2022)
- Plaintiff Opposition (July 29, 2022)
- Pretrial Brief (July 29, 2022)
- Griffin Response (July 30, 2022)
- Emergency Motion (Aug. 2, 2022)
- Griffin Response (Aug. 2, 2022)
- Plaintiff Letter to Judge (Aug. 4, 2022)
- Plaintiff Revised Trial Exhibit (Aug. 5, 2022)
- Struck Deposition Transcript (Aug. 5, 2022)
- Amended Hearing Notice (Aug. 8, 2022)
- Griffin Reply (Aug. 8, 2022)
- Plaintiff Second Revised Exhibit List (Aug. 10, 2022)
- Plaintiff Motion for Surreply (Aug. 11, 2022)
- Trial Transcript (Aug. 15, 2022)
- Trial Transcript (Aug. 16, 2022)
- Plaintiff Third Revised Exhibit List (Aug. 19, 2022)
- Griffin Order (Aug. 23, 2022)
- Griffin Closing Argument (Aug. 29, 2022)
- Plaintiff Post Trial Brief (Aug. 29, 2022)
- Court’s Decision (Sept. 6, 2022)
Griffin 122-cv-00284
- Notice of Removal (Apr. 17, 2022)
- Motion to Transfer (Apr. 17, 2022)
- Griffin Opposition to Remand (Apr. 24, 2022)
- Griffin Opposition to Plaintiff Request (Apr. 27, 2022)
- Plaintiff Opposition to Griffin Motion (May 2, 2022)
- Order to Grant Motion (May 4, 2022)
- Reply of Motion (May 9, 2022)
- Notice of Completion (May 9, 2022)
- Stipulation (May 9, 2022)
- Griffin Response (May 9, 2022)
- Exhibit 1 (May 9, 2022)
- Exhibit 2 (May 9, 2022)
- Plaintiff Response to Notice (May 11, 2022)
- Exhibit (May 11, 2022)
- Griffin Reply (May 11, 2022)
- Order Clarifying Pleadings (May 12, 2022)
- Griffin Notice (May 12, 2022)
- Griffin Notice (May 13, 2022)
- Exhibit (May 13, 2022)
- Griffin Reply (May 16, 2022)
- Memorandum Opinion and Order (May 27, 2022)
Griffin 1983 Suit-222-cv-00362
- Griffin Reply to Opposition (June 2, 2022)
- Griffin Supplemental Brief (June 10, 2022)
- Memorandum Opinion and Order (June 14, 2022)
- Memorandum Opinion and Order (June 28, 2022)
Amicus Curiae Briefs
- Scholar Brief (Aug. 1, 2022)
- Abrams Brief (Aug. 1, 2022)
- Amended Certificate (Aug. 1, 2022)
- Griffin Motion to Strike (Aug. 9, 2022)
- NAACP New Mexico State Conference Brief (Aug. 23, 2022)
- Common Cause in Support of Plaintiff Complaint (Aug. 25, 2022)
- Order Denying Motion for Consideration (Feb. 16, 2023)
Griffin Appeal to Supreme Court of New Mexico S-1-SC-39571
- Notice of Appeal (Sept. 22, 2022)
- Dismissing Order (Nov. 15, 2022)
- Motion to Reconsider (Nov. 16, 2022)
- Order Denying Motion for Reconsideration (Feb. 16, 2023)
Georgia Voters’ Challenge to Constitutional Qualifications of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
- Complaint (Mar. 24, 2022)
- Notice of Hearing (Mar. 25, 2022)
- Motion to Take Party Deposition (Mar. 28, 2022)
- Notice to Produce (Mar. 28, 2022)
- Order Shortening Response Period (Mar. 30, 2022)
- Prehearing Order (Mar. 31, 2022)
- Motion to Stay Deposition (Apr. 3, 2022)
- Objection to Notice to Produce (Apr. 3, 2022)
- Motion to Dismiss (Apr. 3, 2022)
- Order on Deposition (Apr. 4, 2022)
- Subpoena to Rep. Greene (Apr. 5, 2022)
- Opposition to Motion to Dismiss (Apr. 11, 2022)
- Motion to Enforce Subpoena to Rep. Greene (Apr. 11, 2022)
- Prehearing Order (Apr. 13, 2022)
- Video Conference Before State Administrative Law Judge (Apr. 11, 2022)
- Petitioners’ Motion to Supplement the Record (Apr. 26, 2022)
- Greene’s Opposition to Petitioners’ Motion to Supplement the Record (Apr. 28, 2022)
- Post-Hearing Brief in Support of Petitioners’ Candidacy Challenge (Apr. 29, 2022)
- Rep. Greene’s Post-Hearing Brief (Apr. 29, 2022)
- Administrative Law Judge’s Initial Decision (May 6, 2022)
- Letter to Secretary Raffensperger (May 6, 2022)
- Secretary Raffensperger’s Final Decision (May 6, 2022)
Rowan v. Raffensperger
- Petition for Judicial Review (May 16, 2022)
- Greene’s Answer and Counterclaims to Petition for Judicial Review (June 13, 2022)
- Briefing Schedule and Hearing Date (June 15, 2022)
- Secretary’s Response to Petition for Judicial Review (June 24, 2022)
- Greene’s Response to Petition for Judicial Review (June 24, 2022)
- Secretary’s Response to Greene’s Counterclaims (July 11, 2022)
- Reply Brief for Appeal of Secretary’s Decision (July 15, 2022)
- Transcript in Hearing for Appeal of Secretary’s Decision (July 18, 2022)
- Fulton County Superior Court Order (July 25, 2022)
- Petitioners’ Notice of Appeal (July 28, 2022)
- Appellants’ Motion to Expedite (Aug. 4, 2022)
- Greene’s Motion to Renew Stay (Aug. 15, 2022)
- Secretary Motion to Dismiss (Aug. 17, 2022)
- Application for Discretionary Appeal (Aug. 19, 2022)
- Intervenors’ Response in Opposition to Motion to Renew Stay (Aug. 23, 2022)
- Intervenor-Respondent’s Response to Application for Discretionary Appeal (Aug. 26, 2022)
- Secretary’s Response to Application for Discretionary Appeal (Aug. 29, 2022)
Greene v. Raffensperger (District Court)
- Plaintiff’s Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (Apr. 1, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Emergency Motion for Temporary Restraining Order (Apr. 1, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Memorandum of Law in Support of Emergency Motion for Temporary Restraining Order (Apr. 1, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Motion for a Preliminary Injunction (Apr. 1, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Memorandum in Support of Motion for a Preliminary Injunction (Apr. 1, 2022)
- Rowan Intervenors’ Motion to Intervene (Apr. 4, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Opposition to Motion to Intervene (Apr. 6, 2022)
- State’s Opposition to Preliminary Injunction (Apr. 6, 2022)
- Intervenor Defendants’ Opposition to Preliminary Injunction (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Reply in Support of Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Apr. 7, 2022)
- District Court Order (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Order Denying Motion for Injunction (Apr. 18, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Motion to Stay (June 1, 2022)
- Intervenors’ Response in Opposition to the Plaintiff’s Motion to Stay (June 2, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Reply in Support of Motion to Stay (June 3, 2022)
- Defendants Raffensperger and Beaudrot’s Response to Plaintiff’s Motion to Stay (June 3, 2022)
- Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (August 17, 2022)
- Intervenors’ Response in Support of Motion to Dismiss (Sept. 1, 2022)
Greene v. Raffensperger (11th Circuit)
- Appellant Brief (Apr. 27, 2022)
- Derek Muller’s Amicus Brief in Support of No Party (May 12, 2022)
- Intervenors Appellees’ Brief (June 14, 2022)
- Constitutional Accountability Center Amicus Brief (June 14, 2022)
- State Appellees Brief (June 14, 2022)
- Appellant’s Reply Brief (June 21, 2022)
- Motion to Take Judicial Notice of State Appellees (July 28, 2022)
- Appellant’s Motion to Take Judicial Notice (Aug. 2, 2022)
- Oral Arguments (Aug. 11, 2022)
- Georgia Supreme Court Order Denying Discretionary Appeal (Sept. 1, 2022)
- Court Opinion (Nov. 3, 2022)
Arizona Voters’ Challenge to Constitutional Qualifications of Representatives Mark Finchem, Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs
Before Arizona Superior Court:
- Gosar Complaint (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Gosar Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Discovery (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Biggs Complaint (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Biggs Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Discovery (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Finchem Complaint (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Finchem Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Discovery (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Finchem Order to Appear for Trial (Apr. 7, 2022)
- Court Order Dismissing Case (Apr. 22, 2022)
Appeal before Supreme Court of Arizona:
- Opening Brief (Apr. 28, 2022)
- Appellants’ Appendix Part I (Apr. 28, 2022)
- Appellants’ Appendix Part II (Apr. 28, 2022)
- Reply Brief (May 2, 2022)
- Decision Order (May 9, 2022)
North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District’s Challenge to Constitutional Qualifications of Rep. Madison Cawthorn
Cawthorn v. Circosta et al.
- Cawthorn Complaint (Jan. 31, 2022)
- Cawthorn Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Jan. 31, 2022)
- State’s Response to Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Feb. 7, 2022)
- Motion to Intervene as Defendants (Feb. 7, 2022)
- Opposition to Cawthorn’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Feb. 7, 2022)
- Proposed Defendant-Intervenors’ Reply Memorandum in Further Support of Motion to Intervene as Defendants (Feb. 17, 2022)
- Order Denying Motion to Intervene (Feb. 21, 2022)
- Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (Feb. 22, 2022)
- Memorandum of Law in Support of State Board Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss (Feb. 22, 2022)
- Backgrounder: Kyle Cheney, North Carolina officials reject Cawthorn claim that Constitution’s insurrectionist ban no longer applies, Politico (Feb. 23, 2022)
- Order Granting Motion to Consolidate (Feb. 22, 2022)
- Draft Transcript of U.S. District Court Hearing in Cawthorne v. Circosta (Mar. 4, 2022)
- Emergency Motion for Stay of Injunction Pending Appeal (Mar. 9, 2022)
- Order Granting Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Mar. 10, 2022)
- Backgrounder: Jonathan Weisman, Judge Blocks Effort to Disqualify Cawthorn from Ballot as ‘Insurrectionist’, New York Times (Mar. 4, 2022)
- Constitutional Accountability Center Amicus Brief (Mar. 11, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Response to Motion to Stay (Mar. 14, 2022)
- North Carolina GOP Amicus Brief (Mar. 14, 2022)
- North Carolina State Board of Elections Amicus Brief (Mar. 14, 2022)
- Challengers’ Reply in Support of Emergency Motion for Stay (Mar. 15, 2022)
- 4th Circuit Order (Mar. 17, 2022)
- Renewed Motion to Intervene (Mar. 17, 2022)
- Order Denying Renewed Motion to Intervene (Mar. 30, 2022)
- Emergency Motion for Stay of Injunction Pending Appeal (Mar. 31, 2022)
- Second Amended Notice of Appeal of Proposed Defendant-Intervenors (Mar. 31, 2022)
- Motion to Expedite Appeal (Apr. 4, 2022)
- Plaintiff’s Response to Renewed Motion to Stay (Apr. 5, 2022)
- Appellant Opening Brief (Apr. 14, 2022)
- Constitutional Accountability Center Amicus Brief (Apr. 14, 2022)
- Derek Muller’s Amicus Brief in Support of No Party (Apr. 21, 2022)
- Cawthorn Brief as Appellee (Apr. 26, 2022)
- Reply Brief of Appellants (Apr. 29, 2022)
- Appeals Court Opinion Cawthorn v. Amalfi (May 24, 2022)
- Stipulation of Dismissal (June 30, 2022)
- Order of Dismissal (June 30, 2022)
Castro v. Trump
- Complaint (Jan. 6, 2023)
Caplan v. Trump
- Complaint (Aug. 24, 2023)
- First Amended and Restated Complaint (Aug. 27, 2023)
- Summons (Aug. 27, 2023)
- Order of Dismissal (Aug. 31, 2023)
- Letter from Richard Ulloa Melton (Sept. 7, 2023)
Castro v. Wisconsin Elections Commission and Trump
- Complaint (Aug. 31, 2023)
Anderson v. Griswold and Trump
- Lawsuit (Sept. 6, 2023)
Joan Growe et al. v. Steve Simon
- Filing Letter (Sept. 12, 2023)
- Petition (Sept. 12, 2023)
III. Proposed State Legislation
- New York State Assembly Bill A2389, Restrict Insurrections from Office Taking (RIOT) Act
- New York State Senate Bill S888, Restrict Insurrectionists from Office Taking (RIOT) Act
- Connecticut State Senate Bill 244, An Act Concerning Eligibility to Hold Public Office or be Employed by the State or any Municipality
- Pennsylvania State Assembly Bill 2672, A Joint Resolution proposing integrated amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for ineligibility by criminal convictions and for removal of civil officers
- Pennsylvania State Assembly Bill 2763, An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in obstructing governmental operations, providing for the offense of seditious conspiracy against the Commonwealth; and, in abuse of office, providing for the offense of seditious conspiracy against the Commonwealth while holding public office
- Virginia State Assembly Bill 1562, A Bill to amend and reenact § 18.2-413 of the Code of Virginia, relating to insurrections; bar to serving in positions of public trust