Three gay and lesbian couples went to court in mid-September, suing the state for denying them marriage licenses. Baehr v. Miike, No. In the struggle to control rowdy teenagers and reduce juvenile violence, the nation's largest shopping mall has become one of the first commercial centers to impose curfews on teenage customers. We view it as a proactive policy to prevent serious problems from developing. At least 2,000 to 3,000 young people gather at the mall during the weekends.
Disorderly teens alarm older shoppers, according to mall officials.
The new chaperon policy bars people under 16 on Friday and Saturday nights unless they bring a parent or other grown-up over 21. Unsupervised teenagers are also banned from some North Carolina and Virginia malls on weekend evenings, and one Miami mall has instituted a daytime curfew for school-age youth. Shopping centers nationwide are watching the trend closely. Federal courts have ruled that shopping malls are not considered public places and that First Amendment rights can be restricted there, says Chris Hansen, senior staff counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union. However, Hansen warns, state courts are divided on the issue.