Commonwealth v. Davis
Massachusetts Supreme Court
39 N.E. 113 (1895)
Relevant factsFree
The City of Boston adopted an ordinance requiring a mayoral permit for any public address on publicly owned property, and Davis (defendant), a preacher who regularly spoke to crowds on the Boston Common, was charged with and convicted of violating the ordinance for speaking without a permit; he appealed on First Amendment grounds.
IssueFree
Whether, under the First Amendment, the government can limit speech on government-owned property through its basic property rights.