Opinion ID: 3011354
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: Appellant, The Pitt News, is a student-run newspaper at the University of Pittsburgh. It sought to enjoin the enforcement of a 1996 amendment to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Liquor Code, codified at 47 P.S.S4-498(e)(5) and known as Act 199. This amendment provides criminal sanctions against businesses that advertise alcoholic beverages in newspapers and other materials published by, for or in behalf of any educational institution. Id. The Pitt News sought declaratory and preliminary injunctive relief pursuant to 42 U.S.C.S 1983, arguing that Act 199 violates the First Amendment. 2 The District Court denied the motion for a preliminary injunction, holding that The Pitt News lacked standing to bring this challenge because only advertisers, and not the newspaper itself, are subject to prosecution under Act 199. Because the District Court reasoned that The Pitt News felt only indirect economic effects resulting from a regulation aimed at third parties, it held that the newspaper did not suffer an injury to its own constitutionally protected interests, and therefore was not a proper party to bring this challenge.1 The Pitt News appeals, arguing that its own First Amendment rights have been infringed by Act 199, which has had the effect of reducing its advertising revenue, and thereby the length of its publication. The Pitt News also claims that it may assert the constitutional rights of its former advertisers and its adult readers, neither of whom are parties to this litigation. We hold that The Pitt News does have standing to argue that Act 199 infringes upon its own First Amendment rights. However, The Pitt News lacks standing to challenge Act 199 on behalf of these third parties. We will therefore proceed to the merits of the preliminary injunction only on the question of whether the economic effect felt by The Pitt News amounts to a violation of its own First Amendment rights. We hold that it does not, and will affirm.