Opinion ID: 2975823
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Prior Restraint Provisions

Text: The sign regulations, however, also constitute an unconstitutional prior restraint, and this alone is sufficient to declare them unconstitutional in their entirety. In Deja Vu of Nashville, Inc. v. Metro. Gov’t of Nashville and Davidson County, we held a prior restraint affecting “sexually oriented” businesses unconstitutional for lack of sufficient judicial process. 274 F.3d at 402-03. Rather than allow some portions of the law to be severed, Deja Vu of Nashville held that when a prior restraint lacks the proper judicial safeguards, this “renders the entire statute facially unconstitutional.” Id. at 403. Under such circumstances, this Court has no choice but to “enjoin enforcement of the entire Ordinance.” Id.; see City of Lakewood v. Plain Dealer Pub. Co., 486 U.S. 750, 757-59 (1988) (holding that a licensing scheme containing a prior restraint is unconstitutional on its face and must be struck down in its entirety). Just like the ordinance in Deja Vu of Nashville, the instant sign regulations constitute a prior restraint lacking sufficient judicial safeguards. Accordingly, we are bound by Deja Vu of Nashville, and may not sever any portion of the Township’s ordinance, and must declare it unconstitutional in its entirety.