Constitutional Law December 1, 2004

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Constitutional Law December 1, 2004

• Freedom of Expression
• Content Neutral Regulation
• Introduction
• Time, Place and Manner
• The Public Forum
• Introduction
• The Perry Framework
• Practical Application
• Prior Restraints
• Expressive Conduct
• Introduction
• OBrien
• Texas v. Johnson

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Recap

• CN as Less Dangerous
• TPM (Hill)
• Identifying Neutrality
• Test/Balancing
• Level
• Public Forum
• Emergence
• Perry Framework

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e. Current Framework
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3. Application

• Cases
• Kokinda (P.O. entrance sidewalk)
• Lee (airport)
• Forbes (candidate debate)
• General Points
• PF Status Hard to Come By
• Uncertainty of Limited PF
• Relate to Government Benefits Issues

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4. Prior Restraints

• Licensing Prior Restraints
• Generally Invalid
• Narrow Exception for Obscenity
• Neutral Licensing
• Parades and Events (Thomas)
• Harmonious Use of Public Space
• Procedural Requirements Inapplicable
• Ministerial vs. Discretionary
• Solicitation

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C. Expressive Conduct1. Introduction

• Speech and Conduct
• Speech involves conduct
• Conduct conveys messages
• Spectrum (link)
• Issues
• Categorization
• Treatment of Mixed Speech Conduct

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2. OBrien

• Ban on Draft Card Burning
• Assume Communicative Content
• Some 1st Amendment Protection
• Test for Symbolic Speech (link)
• Application
• Important Draft Interests Served by Cards
• Unrelated To Suppression of Expression
• Rejection of Improper Motive Evidence

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3. Texas v. Johnson

• Flag Burning as Protest
• OBrien Does Not Apply
• Interest in Preserving Peace not Implicated
• Preserving Flag is Content Based
• Fails SS
• Preserving Flag is Illegitimate Purpose
• Flag Doesnt Need Preserving This Way

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d. Aftermath

• Controversial
• Broad Political Outcry
• Push for Constitutional Amendment
• New Federal Statute
• Designed to Be Content Neutral
• Invalidated in US v. Eichman
• Amendment Efforts Amendment

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Kokinda

• Post Office Sidewalk
• Not PF
• Distinguish Traditional PF Sidewalks
• Not Expressly Opened
• Limited PF
• Reasonable Reg of Nonpublic Use
• Compare Concurrence Valid CN Reg.

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Lee

• Airport
• Not a Public Forum
• Not Traditional B/c Airports New
• Not Designated
• Reject Transportation Node Argument
• Reasonableness Test
• Uphold Ban on Solicitation
• Reject Ban on Literature Distribution

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Forbes

• Candidate Debate on Public TV
• Public TV not a PF
• Debates Different
• Still Not a PF
• General Access (to Class) vs.
• Selective Access
• Exclusion Meets Test
• Not Viewpoint
• Reasonable to Exclude Frivolous Candidates

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The OBrien Test

• W/in Power of Govt
• Important Govt Interest
• Unrelated to Suppression of Expression
• Restriction No Greater Than Necessary
• Compare Test for Content Neutral

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TPM Conduct

• TPM
• Justified w/o Reference to Content
• Narrowly Tailored to Meet Significant Interest
• Leaves Open Ample Alternatives

• OBrien
• W/in Power
• Furthers Important Governmental Interest
• Interest Unrelated to Suppression
• No Broader Than Necessary

Key Red CN Blue Ends Green Means
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Speech/Conduct Spectrum
Conduct
Speech
Symbolic Speech
Political Assassination Hate Crimes Criminal
Conspiracy
Armbands Flag Salute Picketing Campaign
Contributions
Draft Card Burning Flag Desecration Live Nude
Dancing
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