ECA weights in on US Supreme Court Case

Last month, it was announced by Reuters that the US Supreme Court would decide whether a California law banning the sale and rental of violent video games to minors (the "Law") is unconstitutional.

Reportedly, the appeal was made by the state of California to the US Supreme Court after a Californian US appeals court ruled that the Law is unconstitutional because it violates the right to free-speech. It appears that the Law was adopted in 2005 but has never taken effect because it has faced a legal challenge ever since. Amongst those challenging the Law are video game publishers, distributors and sellers, as well as non-profit organizations such as the Entertainments Consumers Association (the "ECA").

According to gameinformer.com, the ECA represents gamers in cases such as these, and it plans to file an amicus brief intended to inform the Court of its agreement with the lower court findings with respect to the Law. The ECA apparently also plans to file an online petition against the case. ECA's Hal Halpin reportedly stated that its submission of the amicus brief to the Supreme Court would mark the first time than an organization such as the ECA has brought a petition in any such case.

According to Reuters, this would also be the first time that the US Supreme Court will rule on a video game case. Reuters and gameinformer.com both report that the case will not be heard by the Supreme Court until its next term, which begins in October.

Coverage at Gameinformer.com and Reuters