Opinion ID: 75672
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Complaint and Preliminary Injunction

Text: 13 On June 21, 2000, Horton filed a Complaint challenging Section 22-9 as unconstitutional on its face. Horton's Complaint claimed that Section 22-9 was: 14 (1) unconstitutionally vague since it allows for the use of unbridled discretion in every instance, 15 (2) substantially overbroad and impinges upon conduct protected by the United States Constitution, 16 (3) adopted with a predominantly censorial purpose, 17 (4) not narrowly tailored to meet any substantial governmental interests, and 18 (5) a content based prohibition on free expression protected by the United States Constitution. 19 Alleging the City had made arrests, seized instruments, and chilled his expression, Horton's Complaint requested declaratory and injunctive relief, court costs, and attorney's fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988. 20 On August 30, 2000, Horton filed an Application for Preliminary Injunction. 2 His accompanying brief challenged Section 22-9 as being (1) vague, (2) overbroad, and (3) impermissibly restrictive of speech as to time, place, and manner. As to vagueness, Horton claimed Section 22-9 does not put ordinary citizens on notice so they may avoid inadvertent violations of the law. For example, he argued, it fails to set forth any guidelines to determine whether a person singing is doing so for personal enjoyment or for the purpose of engaging in a street performance. This lack of objective guidelines prevents citizens from knowing what conduct is prohibited and whether they will be subject to arrest for such innocent behavior such as whistling on St. George Street. As a result, Horton submitted, police officers are vested with complete discretion to make arbitrary determinations as to whether or not someone is engaging in a street performance, thereby rendering Section 22-9 unconstitutionally vague. 21 As for overbreadth, Horton complained that Section 22-9 impermissibly outlaws all singing, acting and dancing on St. George Street, as follows: 22 [T]o the extent that the Ordinance purports to outlaw all singing, acting and dancing on St. George Street, it raises serious questions about the overbreadth of legislation by criminalizing innocent conduct. 23 As for its validity as a time, place, and manner restriction, Horton asserted Section 22-9 is not narrowly tailored because (a) the prohibition is twenty-four (24) hours a day and not limited to any times in which any particular pedestrian traffic concern or other problems could arise, (b) it effectively bans all musical performances, even performances conducted with small musical instruments such as harmonicas or kazoos or even singing that cannot be shown to impact pedestrian traffic, and (c) it is a ban on the entirety of St. George Street within the City of St. Augustine. Addressing the governmental purpose required of a valid time, place, and manner restriction, Horton also argued that the City's goal in enacting Section 22-9 to aid the free flow of traffic was disingenuous because it allows outdoor restaurants with tables and chairs, along with news stands with newspaper racks without concern for the flow of pedestrian traffic. Finally, he contended Section 22-9 was an improper restriction because it was impermissible as under-inclusive in that it seeks to prevent only certain types of street performances which are intended to communicate a message and appears to be aimed at ridding the area of the then existing street performers.... 24 Opposing Horton's injunction request, the City argued that Section 22-9 was (1) content neutral as it did not distinguish between types of street performers, (2) a regulation narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest, namely guarding the aesthetic value of the historic area while reducing pedestrian congestion, (3) one that left open ample alternative channels for communication in other public and historic areas in the City, and (4) an enactment in which the definition of perform in Section 22-9(b)(1) was not unconstitutionally vague.