Document: 478 U.S. 697 106 S.Ct. 3172 92 L.Ed.2d 568 Richard ARCARA, District Attorney of Erie County, Petitionerv.CLOUD BOOKS, INC., etc., et al. No. 85-437. Argued April 29, 1986. Decided July 7, Syllabus A New York statute authorizes closure a building found to be public health nuisance because it was being used as place for prostitution and lewdness. After county Deputy Sheriff's undercover investigation respondents' "adult" bookstore disclosed that illicit sexual activities, including solicitation prostitution, occurred on the premises, civil complaint filed against respondents seeking premises under statute. Respondents answered by alleging, inter alia, would impermissibly interfere with their First Amendment right sell books not intended apply establishments other than houses prostitution. The trial court denied motion summary judgment, holding applied respondents. Appellate Division affirmed. Court Appeals reversed grounds. Applying test United States v. O'Brien, 391 367, 88 1673, 20 672, determining validity regulating conduct has an expressive element, held failed part O'Brien requires no broader necessary achieve its purpose, order much restriction activities injunction continuing those could same effect without restricting bookselling activities. Held: does bar enforcement bookstore. supra, relevance directed at imposing sanctions nonexpressive activity, carried in this case manifest absolutely element protected expression. is unlawful having nothing do or activity. Bookselling confer coverage defeat aimed penalizing terminating illegal uses premises. Pp. 702-707. 65 N.Y.2d 324, 491 N.Y.S.2d 307, 480 N.E.2d 1089, reversed. BURGER, C.J., delivered opinion Court, which WHITE, POWELL, REHNQUIST, STEVENS, O'CONNOR, JJ., joined. J., concurring opinion, joined, post, p. ---. BLACKMUN, dissenting BRENNAN MARSHALL, John J. DeFranks, Buffalo, N.Y., petitioner. Paul Cambria, Jr., Chief Justice BURGER Court. 1 We granted certiorari decide whether bars authorizing lewdness are also adult 2 * A. 3 own operate "Village Books News Store" Kenmore, York. establishment characterizes itself sells sexually explicit magazines booths available viewing movies. No issue presented respect movies materials store obscene pornographic materials. 4 During September October 1982, County Department conducted into reported occurring Sheriff personally observed instances masturbation, fondling, fellatio patrons store, all within observation proprietor. He himself solicited least four occasions men who offered perform acts exchange money. management fully aware activity App. Pet. Cert. A-54, A-56, A-57, A-58. B 5 results formed basis § 2321 Public Health Law. Section 2320 Law defines places lewdness, assignation nuisances: 6 "1. Whoever shall erect, establish, continue, maintain, use, own, lease any building, erection, purpose assignation, guilty maintaining nuisance. 7 "2. place, ground itself, upon conducted, permitted, on, continued, exists, furniture, fixtures, musical instruments, movable property conducting such nuisance, hereby declared enjoined abated hereafter provided." N.Y. Pub. (McKinney 1985). 8 2329 provides 2320: 9 If existence admitted established action provided article, criminal proceeding court, abatement entered judgment case, order. . direct effectual closing erection use so keeping closed period one year. ." 10 suit district attorney, among others, enforce provisions. 11 denying allegations knowledge, asserting moved partial these grounds, advanced argument reach traditional sense. Trial Supreme Special Term, applicable respondents; rejected claims well, reasoning sought did involve prior restraint presumptively Amendment. It employed "a curtain behind can freely encouraged conducted." 12 Division, Fourth Department, People ex rel. Arcara Cloud Books, Inc., 101 App.Div.2d 163, 475 173 (1984). agreed operated; violate since admittedly giving rise were conduct, sales shield from leave appeal Appeals, certified both statutory question reached issue. 13 1089 (1985). That but relied cases jurisdictions analogized movie theater based previous distribution unconstitutional restraint. E.g., Gayety Theatres, Inc. City Miami, 719 F.2d 1550 (CA11 1983); General Corp. State Sweeton, 294 Ala. 657, 320 So.2d 668 (1975), cert. denied, 425 904, 96 1494, 47 753 (1976); Busch Projection Room Theater, 17 Cal.3d 42, 130 Cal.Rptr. 328, 550 P.2d 600, sub nom. Van de Kamp 429 922, 97 320, 50 289 (1976). 14 impact concluded circumstance required scrutiny Court's analysis regulations nonspeech incidental speech. Purporting four-part 672 (1968), determined remedy fell constitutional power State; furthered aa substantial state interest thwarting prostitution; unrelated suppression 15 Notwithstanding analysis, fourth test, incidentally speech purpose. reasoned record before it, year commercial 16 certiorari.1 474 978, 379, 333 reverse. II This burdening expression particular political opinion. supra. In considered ramifications imposed "knowingly destroys, knowingly mutilates, manner changes" draft registration certificate. U.S.C.App. 462(b). noted face regulate necessarily expressive, destruction card ordinarily conduct. defendant had, here not, semblance his claim otherwise burning "carry message" actor's opposition draft. As O'Brien: 18 "This when 'speech' 'nonspeech' elements combined course sufficiently important governmental justify limitations freedoms. To characterize quality must appear, variety descriptive terms: compelling; substantial; subordinating; paramount; cogent; strong. Whatever imprecision inheres terms, we think clear government regulation justified if Government; furthers interest; free expression; alleged freedoms greater essential furtherance interest." U.S., 376-377, S.Ct., 1678-1679 (footnotes omitted). 19 prohibition mutilation cards met requirements constitutionally publicly burned symbolic protest. have involving element. Clark Community Creative Non-Violence, 468 288, 104 3065, 82 221 (1984), application ban camping sleeping Lafayette Park Mall Washington, D.C., demonstrators sleep overnight parks protest plight homeless people. Again Albertini, 472 675, 105 2897, 86 536, (1985),we protester's conviction reentering military base after subject barring him entering improper base. each regulated upheld permissible. 21 some statutes which, although component, impose disproportionate burden engaged Minneapolis Star & Tribune Co. Minnesota Comm'r Revenue, 460 575, 103 1365, 75 295 (1983), struck down tax sale large quantities newsprint ink had singling out newspapers shoulder burden. justification even though inevitably disproportionately—in fact, almost exclusively—upon shoulders exercising freedom press. Even while striking Star, emphasized: 22 "Clearly, prohibit beyond dispute Federal Government generally economic creating problems. See, e.g., Citizen Publishing States, 394 131, 139, 89 927, 931, 148 (1969) (antitrust laws); Lorain Journal 342 143, 155-156, 72 181, 187-188, L.Ed. 162 (1951) (same); Breard Alexandria, 341 622, 71 920, 95 1233 (prohibition door-to-door solicitation); Oklahoma Press Walling, 327 186, 192-193, 66 494, 497-498, 90 614 (1946) (Fair Labor Standards Act); Mabee White Plains Co., 178, 511, 607 Associated 326 1, 6-7, 19-20, 1416, 1418, 1424-1425, 2013 (1945) NLRB, 301 103, 132-133, 57 650, 655-656, 81 953 (1937) (National Relations see Branzburg Hayes, 408 665, 2646, 33 626 (1972) (enforcement subpoenas)." Id., 581, 1369. III 23 permissible petitioner ignored crucial distinction between circumstances case: unlike manifests Paris Adult Theatre I Slaton, 413 49, 67, 93 2628, 2640, 37 446 (1973), underscored fallacy cloak obviously diaphanous device attributing attributes values may invoked merely linking words "sex" "books." 24 Nor drawn single bookstores others imposition burden, Star. neither press nor booksellers special protection general applicability simply virtue city penalties demonstrated Fire Code violations hazards inadequate sewage treatment, aid owner allowed persist. 25 Nonetheless, argue burdens severity dubious best, mitigated fact remain another location.2 event, proves too much, every imposes conceivable One liable damages award less money spend paid announcements contribute causes, yet suggest liability gives valid claim. Cf. Buckley Valeo, 424 612, 46 659 Similarly, thief sent prison might complain speak been infringed confinement, explicitly prisoner's environment restrictive desire outsiders. See Pell Procunier, 417 817, 94 2800, 41 495 (1974); Jones North Carolina Prisoners Union, 433 119, 2532, 53 629 (1977). 26 true require move business location. Yet traditionally subjected sanction through legal process "least means" will sanction. Rather, restrictions only where significant drew first O'Brien,3 inevitable involves situation, conclude implicated physical happen books. 27 thus misread legislation providing legislature properly protect community directing lawless activities.4 28 29 Reversed. whom STEVENS joins, concurring. 30 agree erred applying standard review where, here, incidental, Any conclusion lead absurd result speech-inhibiting consequences, arrest newscaster traffic violation, If, however, pretext sold indecent perceived secondary effects purveyor neighborhood, clearly implicate concerns appropriate review. Because there suggestion below pretextual provision concur judgment. 31 MARSHALL join, dissenting. 32 Respondent explicit, allegedly obscene, publications. 326, 309, 1091 (1985); ante, 1. holds shut "in exists," violation York's §§ Despite obvious role play facilitating expression, see, Smith California, 361 147, 150, 80 215, 217, 205 (1959), today concludes raise concerns, apparently triggered, books, patrons. 698-699 706, n. 2. But Amendment, made Fourteenth protects laws "abridging speech"—not just specifically Until today, never suggested suppress likes, justification, long "nothing conduct." 705-706, contrary, said repeatedly challenged "must tested operation effect." Near Olson, 283 697, 708, 51 625, 628, 1357 (1931). Schad Mount Ephraim, 452 61, 68, 2176, 2182, 68 671 (1981); Southeastern Promotions, Ltd. Conrad, 420 546, 552, 1239, 1243, 43 448 (1975). "In therefore, legislative abridgment [First Amendment] rights asserted, courts should astute examine legislation." Schneider State, 308 161, 60 146, 151, 84 155 (1939). 34 Generally purport they unduly penalize speech, otherwise. Marsh Alabama, 501, 276, 265 (trespass); Cantwell Connecticut, 310 296, 900, 1213 (1940) (breach peace); supra (littering). Grayned Rockford, 104, 107-108, 2294, 2298-2299, 222 (antinoise ordinance). 35 Marsh, Cantwell, Schneider, attempt censor cf. disproportionately speaker, (1983). State's concern there, preserve character exercise police power. And triggered example, pointed "invaded public." 905. rage listeners led action. arrested distributors handbills litter caused people throwing away. 162, 151. cases, legitimate goal collided freedoms, therefore balanced interests fundamental right. Young American Mini 427 50, 2440, 49 (1976) (secondary theaters); Renton Playtime 41, 925, (1986) 687-688, 2906, 536 (1985) (earlier threatened security).* 36 At point, course, becomes attenuated easily outweighed interest. directly substantially impairs shutting bookstore, believe show, minimum, chosen means pursuing objectives. 308, more compared reporter, 708 (O'CONNOR, concurring), church clergyman. forbidding committed public, An method eliminating patron committing them. provide that. Instead, absolute occurs penalty—a mandatory 1-year closure—imposes unnecessary Of "linking 'sex' 'books,' " 705, enough extend suffice remove situated near site stopping cannot infringement rights. "sensitive tools." Speiser Randall, 357 513, 525, 78 1332, 1341, 1460 (1958). 38 Petitioner abate improperly attempts shift bookseller responsibility finding alternative site. surely uphold ordinance banning debate theory residents somewhere else. '[O]ne liberty abridged plea exercised place.' 556, 1245, quoting Moreover, allege changes local zoning prevent them relocating. Brief 10-11; Tr. Oral Arg. 26, 31-32. narrowly tailored further asserted interest, 39 decision creates loophole counties like Erie, P.J. Video, 868, 1610, 871 (1986); Uplinger, 467 246, 2332, 201 "undesirable," confronting protections confine book determined, approved procedures, obscene. Marcus Search Warrant, 367 717, 1708, 1127 (1961); Freedman Maryland, 380 51, 58-59, 85 734, 738-739, 649 (1965). enjoin future dissemination fare "adher[ing] procedures ordinary nuisance." Vance Universal Amusement 445 315, 100 1156, 1161, 63 (1980). now sweeping predicate conduct—which innocent repeated meetings man woman meet heavy proving selective prosecution, 707, 4; ante concurring); Wayte 470 598, 607-610, 1524, 1530-1532, 547 Kuzinich Santa Clara, 689 1345, 1349 (CA9 1982); Flynt, Ohio St.2d 132, 133, 407 15, 17-18, granted, 449 1033, 607, (1980), dism'd, 451 619, 1958, 489 (1981), hardly guarantees prompt, minimize deterrence 873, 1614. intention eliminate severe booksellers. 40 retain "transcend[ent] value," given protection. 509, 280. 'Freedoms heavy-handed frontal attack, stifled subtle interference.' Healy James, 169, 183, 2338, 2347, 266 (1972), Bates Little Rock, 516, 523, 412, 416, (1960). Since requirement respondents, dissent reversal court's conflicts decisions Virginia Pennsylvania Superior Commonwealth Croatan 228 Va. 383, 323 S.E.2d (1984); Lewis Allouwill, 330 Pa.Super. 32, A.2d 1334 For reason, reject Appeals' analogizing differs two respects. First, materials, carry location, locations difficult find. Second, advance determination prohibited—indeed, all. asserts previously "[g]enerally otherwise." Post, 709. correct statement holdings relevant here. cited dissent, "nonspeech" intimately related (demonstration prosecution antinoise ordinance); (trespass distribute religious literature); peace literature). Here, bears connection assert However, us material. Were able establish suppressive motivation policy Attorney, prosecution. assertion court. Our past sensibly distinguished involved "intimately conduct," 3; our avoid "unduly suppress[es]" interests. 905, (1940). Would feel differently about present introduced evidence spurred passages read browsing customers? Under apparent theory, paradoxically, induced whose wares behavior clientele.

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