In response to a case brought by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and a coalition of partner plaintiffs, Judge Patrick Michael Duffy of the U.S. District Court in Charleston, South Carolina issued an order barring enforcement of South Carolina's Harmful to Minors Internet Law.  Duffy's ruling stated that South Carolina's law, which provided criminal sanctions for 'disseminating harmful materials online' was unconstitutional because it did not employ the least restrictive means for preventing minors from using the Internet to access 'harmful' material, and because the credit card-based age verification system would create a chilling effect.  Under the law that was barred, a retailer that displayed a cover that was R-rated on its Website could be subject to the law.