Supreme Court Justices Question if Outdoor-Sleeping Ban Unfairly Targets Homeless

During oral arguments on Monday in a key case involving the policing of homeless encampments, Supreme Court justices questioned lawyers about what it means to be homeless, when people with nowhere to go should be allowed to sleep outside, and how far municipalities should be allowed to go to enforce anti-camping laws.

Theane Evangelis, a lawyer representing the small southern Oregon city of Grants Pass, told the justices that anti-camping laws are “essential” to prevent the proliferation of unsanitary homeless camps and to ensure safety. She said West Coast cities have...