Board of Airport Commissioners of Los Angeles v. Jews for Jesus, Inc. explained

Litigants:Board of Airport Commissioners of Los Angeles v. Jews for Jesus, Inc.
Arguedate:March 3
Argueyear:1987
Decidedate:June 15
Decideyear:1987
Fullname:Board of Airport Commissioners of Los Angeles v. Jews for Jesus, Inc.
Usvol:482
Uspage:569
Parallelcitations:107 S. Ct. 2568; 96 L. Ed. 2d 500; 1987 U.S. LEXIS 2619; 55 U.S.L.W. 4855
Prior:Cert. to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Holding:A resolution banning all "First Amendment activities" at Los Angeles International Airport violates the First Amendment.
Majority:O'Connor
Joinmajority:unanimous
Concurrence:White
Joinconcurrence:Rehnquist
Lawsapplied:U.S. Const. amend. I

Board of Airport Commissioners of Los Angeles v. Jews for Jesus, Inc., 482 U.S. 569 (1987), was a case in which the United States Supreme Court held that an ordinance prohibiting all "First Amendment activities" in the Los Angeles International Airport was facially unconstitutional due to its overbreadth.[1] [2] [3]

The unanimous opinion of the Court was written by Justice O'Connor. O'Connor wrote that the ordinance "reaches the universe of expressive activity, and, by prohibiting all protected expression, purports to create a virtual 'First Amendment Free Zone' at LAX". The Airport Commissioners argued that the ordinance would only be applied against activities that were related to the airport, but O'Connor pointed out that "wearing of a T-shirt or button that contains a political message" would still fall within the prohibition.

In a brief concurrence, Justice White expressed his concern that the decision did not address the question of whether the airport constituted a public forum.

Notes and References

  1. News: . L.A. Airport's Free Speech Curb Upset by High Court : 'Jews for Jesus' Win Rights Case . Los Angeles Times . June 15, 1987 . July 16, 2020 .
  2. Sekulow . Jay . Zimmerman . Erik . 2012–2013 . Reflections on Jews for Jesus: Twenty-Five Years Later . Regent University Law Review . 25 . 1 . 1–23 . July 16, 2020.
  3. News: Savage . David . June 16, 1987 . LAX Ban on Soliciting Rejected by High Court : Justices Say Rule Goes Too Far in Limiting Free Speech; Larger Question of Exclusion Ignored . Los Angeles Times . July 16, 2020 .