United States Ninth Circuit

In an action brought by a street performer challenging the constitutionality of certain rules governing a zone covering about 80 acres of land in downtown Seattle, summary judgment for plaintiff finding the rules facially violated the First Amendment is reversed as: 1) the rules satisfy the requirements for valid restrictions on expression under the First Amendment; 2) the rules are content neutral and narrowly tailored rules, and leave open ample alternatives for communication; and 3) the rules also survive rational basis review under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/09/2008
• Published 01/09/2008

Judges

• BERZON, Circuit Judge:, Before ALEX KOZINSKI, Chief Judge, HARRY PREGERSON, STEPHEN REINHARDT, MICHAEL DALY HAWKINS, KIM McLANE WARDLAW, RONALD M. GOULD, RICHARD A. PAEZ, MARSHA S. BERZON, RICHARD C. TALLMAN, MILAN D. SMITH, JR. and N. RANDY SMITH, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Sarah A. Dunne, American Civil Liberties Union, Seattle, Washington on behalf of amicus curiae American Civil Liberties Union.


• For Appellees:
  
• Elena Luisa Garella, Law Office of Elena Luisa Garella, Seattle, WA;  Robert Corn-Revere, and David M. Shapiro, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Washington, DC, for the plaintiff-appellee., Gary Keese and Carlton W. Seu, Seattle City Attorney's Office, Seattle, WA, for the defendants-appellants.