Tattered Cover Bookstore, Inc. v. City of Thornton

Asserting the First Amendment rights of its customers, the Tattered Cover Bookstore challenged a search warrant obtained by police that sought information about all books purchased by a customer in a 30-day period. The ACLU of Colorado filed an amicus brief arguing that the state constitutional right of free expression requires special procedural protections when the government seeks information about who is reading which particular books. In a groundbreaking opinion that recognizes the dangers posed by government monitoring of citizens’ reading habits, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in favor of the bookstore. Tattered Cover v. City of Thornton, 44 P.3d 1044 (Colo. 2002).

“Tattered Cover owner Joyce Meskis — a First Amendment ‘hero’,” Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, October 10, 2015

“Colorado High Court Backs Tattered Cover,” Publishers Weekly, April 15, 2002

“Bookstore’s records ruled safe from search warrant,” Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, April 10, 2002

“Court Overturns Bookstore Ruling,” Wired, April 9, 2002

“Judge: Cops can seize bookstore records,” The Denver Post, October 21, 2000