Gibson Dunn Pro Bono Team Secures Unanimous U.S. Supreme Court Victory in Olivier v. City of Brandon et al.
Firm News | March 20, 2026
A Gibson Dunn pro bono team secured a unanimous victory at the U.S. Supreme Court on March 20, 2026, in Olivier v. City of Brandon et al., a civil rights case in which our team was supported by a diverse coalition of 11 amicus briefs.
Gabriel Olivier, an evangelical Christian, shared his faith on a public sidewalk near the City of Brandon, Mississippi’s amphitheater during well-attended events. He was silenced when the City adopted an ordinance prohibiting him from communicating his religious beliefs on the public sidewalk, and then arrested him for violating the ordinance by continuing to share his faith. After paying a fine, he sued the city in federal court, challenging the constitutionality of the ordinance.
The district court dismissed his lawsuit without considering the merits, relying on a Supreme Court decision that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has applied to prevent persons convicted under a law from challenging the constitutionality of that law. The Fifth Circuit affirmed and then declined to revisit its past precedent by a narrow one-vote margin over vigorous dissents.
The Supreme Court justices unanimously agreed that the previous Supreme Court decision does not bar legal challenges such as Olivier’s. Writing for the full court, Justice Elena Kagan said that the previous decision “has no bearing on Olivier’s suit seeking a purely prospective remedy.”
“We’re delighted that the Supreme Court unanimously affirmed Gabe’s right to his day in court,” said Gibson Dunn partner Allyson Ho, who presented oral arguments for Olivier before the Supreme Court in December 2025. “It’s just common sense that a citizen who is arrested under an unconstitutional law should be able to challenge that law. As people of faith, we look to the judiciary to protect our constitutional right to spread the gospel.”
Along with Allyson, our team included partner David Casazza and associates Aaron Smith, Patrick Fuster, Giuliana Carozza Cipollone, Jack Reed, Aly Cox, Andrew Ebrahem, and Savannah Silver.