Civil Rights: Interest Groups
Political Studies: Edexcel A Level, topic 17.2.11
Interest Groups and Rights
Interest groups in the US and UK can be used to protect civil rights.
US interest groups 1
- In the US, interest groups can protect rights by sponsoring civil rights cases brought before the Supreme Court.
- Citizens United was a plaintiff in the case Citizens United v Federal Election Commission (2010), which concerned campaign finance regulations.
US interest groups 2
- Interest groups in the US can submit amicus curiae briefs to the courts to influence judicial decisions.
- In Gratz v Bollinger (2003) and Grutter v Bollinger (2003), supporters of the University of Michigan’s affirmative action admissions programme submitted briefs to the court.
- In Gonzales v Carhart (2007), the NARAL Pro-Choice America pressure group submitted a brief to the Supreme Court on abortion rights.
UK interest groups 1
- UK interest groups use the courts to uphold the rights of their members through judicial review.
- The Child Poverty Action Group brought a case against the Government in the High Court challenging the two-child limit introduced by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.
- The Countryside Alliance has been involved in legal challenges relating to fox hunting restrictions.
UK interest groups 2
- Pressure groups may intervene in court cases involving rights through third-party interventions or legal support.
- In the 2018 Supreme Court case Lee v Ashers Baking Company Ltd, equality and religious rights arguments were supported by different interest groups.
- The bakery owner was supported by Christian legal advocacy groups, while LGBTQ+ rights groups supported the claimant.
Test yourself on Civil Rights: Interest Groups
What kind of briefings can interest groups in the US submit to the courts?