Opinion ID: 2444614
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: General Commentary

Text: The notion of protected commercial speech is yet in its early stage of development. This concept of constitutional law, while hinted at in earlier decisions, had its actual origin and its initial articulation in Bigelow in 1975. Its complete scope must await further development in future controversies. There are, however, certain basic principles that have emerged and are now galvanized into general guidelines not likely to undergo significant dilution. All discussion must start with the realistic recognition that commercial speech enjoys a qualified protection under the First Amendment and under Article I, Section 19 of the Constitution of Tennessee. Neither constitutional provision is subject to analysis in terms of absolutes; all basic rights of free speech are subject to reasonable regulation. For instance, no one would dispute the right of a minister, rabbi, or priest to proclaim his religious beliefs and exhort others to their acceptance; yet even this right is subject to a reasonable regulation. If it were otherwise, a man of faith would be permitted to interfere with other religious services or even to disrupt the orderly process of civil government. Time, place, and manner regulations come into play to regulate a solemn and sacred constitutional privilege. Admittedly, such regulation must not single out speech of a particular content for special treatment and must be scrutinized more closely than a restriction not based upon content. Virginia Board of Pharmacy makes this clear. The critical question then must be the nature of permissible regulation. All such regulations must serve an important and substantial public interest, wholly divorced from the suppression of free speech. Moreover, restrictions on First Amendment freedoms must be no greater than is essential to the furtherance of that interest. United States v. O'Brien, 391 U.S. 367, 88 S.Ct. 1673, 20 L.Ed.2d 672 (1968). All public expression may be subject to reasonable regulation if a legitimate public interest is served. The citizen's first amendment interest must be weighed against the asserted governmental interest. We are instructed by Virginia Board of Pharmacy that commercial speech may be regulated as to time, place, and manner, provided the restrictions (1) are justified without reference to the content; (2) serve a significant governmental interest and (3) leave open ample alternative channels of communication. And we are instructed by Erznoznik that even a time, place, and manner regulation may not discriminate solely on the basis of content, and that speech may not be restrained because of its message, its ideas, its subject matter, or its content.