1st Amendment Expressive Freedoms: speech, press, association, religion Flashcards
Generally, what’s the concern?
gov’t regulation of expressive activities
Freedom of speech: basic principles
Free speech only restricts regulation of what kind of speech?
PRIVATE speech
Content-based vs. content-neutral regulations:
When is a restriction content-BASED?
when it restricts the SUBJECT MATTER (prohibiting any advertising for products or services) or VIEWPOINT of speech (prohibiting any advertising for dolls that reinforce sexist stereotypes)
viewpoint almost always unconstitutional
Content-based vs. content-neutral regulations:
What test must content-BASED regulations meet?
strict scrutiny
Content-based vs. content-neutral regulations:
When is a law content-NEUTRAL?
when it burdens expressive CONDUCT
Content-based vs. content-neutral regulations:
What test must content-NEUTRAL regulations meet (conduct)?
intermediate-level scrutiny (3-part test)
Exception for content-based regulations: These (3) categories of speech can be regulated using SUBJECT MATTER, as long as VIEWPOINT NEUTRAL:
(and will be constitutional if meet test for qualifying for category, i.e. doesn’t have to meet strict scrutiny)
1) unprotected speech (defamation, obscenity)
2) less protected speech
3) gov’t-funded speech
First amendment disfavors prior restraints. What does a prior restraint do?
prevents speech BEFORE it occurs
What level of scrutiny must prior restraint meet?
strict scrutiny
What’s an example of a prior restraint?
court “gag order” on press publication
Prior restraints: licensing & permitting authorities for expressive activities must operate under what kind of standards?
NARROWLY DRAWN and CLEAR standards
that leave NO DISCRETION
Prior restraints: licensing & permitting authorities for expressive activities - what if there’s a denial of license or permit?
must be opportunity for PROMPT JUDICIAL REVIEW
BUT procedurally proper court order must be followed UNTIL vacated or overturned (after challenged)
1st Amendment question: where to start? determine whether restriction is…
content-based OR content neutral
1st Amendment question: where to end? issue trio
vague, overbroad, unduly discretionary
Rule for a VAGUE regulation of speech: a regulation is…
void for vagueness if a RP cannot tell from the TERMS of the law what is prohibited and what is permitted
ex. indecency statute prohibiting “lewd and lascivious public speech”
Rule for OVERBROAD regulation of speech: a reg is overbroad if…
it affects SUBSTANTIALLY more speech than is necessary to serve the gov’ts legitimate purposes
ex. outlawing “all First Amendment activities” within an airline terminal
Rule for UNDULY DISCRETIONARY regulation of speech: a reg is unduly discretionary if…
it gives officials inadequate STANDARDS for applying the law’s requirements
ex. statute allows permit authority to charge fees for police protection at public parades and demonstrations, but provides no clear fee structure
Scope of speech: the freedoms of speech include (3)
1) freedom NOT to speak
2) symbolic speech
3) anonymous speech
Scope of speech: freedom NOT to speak example
can’t require citizens to salute flag
but can charge a general fee that flows in a neutral way to organizations
Scope of speech: example of symbolic speech
wearing arm bad in protest of war
Scope of speech: Gov’t may regulate symbolic speech ONLY if it has (3 things)
1) an IMPORTANT PURPOSE
2) that is UNRELATED to SUPPRESSION of the MESSAGE, and
3) if the burden on communication is NO GREATER THAN NECESSARY to achieve that purpose
Scope of speech: Anonymous speech
don;t have to disclose speaker identity
ex. gov’t can’t insist that all protest literature disclose identity of authors or distributors
gov’t can’t force public school teacher to reveal all political or social organizational memerships in order to demonstrate gov’t loyalty
If, after first determining whether regulation is content-based or content-neutral (conduct) and it’s content based, what’s the next step?
protected or unprotected category?
if protected, must meet strict scrutiny
if unprotected, must meet applicable rule to be constitutional
Content-based regulation: unprotected or less protected speech (that will be constitutional if qualify under applicable rule) (7 kinds)
1) incitement of illegal conduct
2) fighting words
3) true threat
4) obscenity and sexually-oriented speech
5) defamation
6) fraud
7) commercial speech
Content-based regulation: unprotected or less protected speech: Incitement of illegal conduct: for speech to be punished as “incitement,” the illegal CONDUCT must be…
likely and imminent and intended by the speaker
statute regulating speech must articulate ALL of these factors or else it’s FACIALLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Content-based regulation: unprotected or less protected speech: FIGHTING WORDS: fighting words are…
- ABUSIVE words
- DIRECTED PERSONALLY to the hearer
- that are LIKELY to produce
- IMMEDIATE AND PHYSICALLY VIOLENT REACTIONS
- in the average person