Court Cases - First Amendment

Question 1

• Court upheld zoning scheme that decentralized sexually-oriented businesses in Detroit.

Answer 1

Young v. American Mini Theaters

Question 2

• Court found that commercial and noncommercial speech cannot be treated differently, overruling an ordinance that banned all off-premises signs because they were noncommercial signs.

Answer 2

Metromedia Inc v. City of San Diego

Question 3

• Court upheld LA ordinance that banned attaching signs to utility poles
• Court found that regulation of signs was valid for aesthetic reasons as long as the ordinance did not regulate the content of the sign.
• Court found that aesthetics does advance a legitimate state interest.

Answer 3

Members of City Council v. Taxpayers for Vincent

Question 4

• Court upheld zoning ordinance that limited sexually-oriented businesses to a single zoning district.
• Court held that the City can’t entirely prohibit adult entertainment but doesn’t have to guarantee that land is available.

Answer 4

City of Renton v. Playtime Theatres, Inc.

Question 5

• Court found that the City cannot impose a more stringent restriction on signs directing the public to a meeting than on signs conveying other messages.
• Court found the City sign ordinance was not content-neutral. The church sued the City on behalf of the 1st and 14th Amendments.

Answer 5

Reed v. Town of Gilbert