United States v. Kokinda

The U.S. Postal Service prohibited soliciting alms and contributions on postal premises. Marsha Kokinda and Kevin Pearl (defendants), volunteers for a political committee, set up a table on the sidewalk near a Maryland post office's entrance to solicit contributions, sell materials, and distribute political literature. After refusing to leave when asked, they were arrested and convicted of violating the regulation. The district court rejected their First Amendment challenge, but the court of appeals reversed, finding the sidewalk a traditional public forum subject to strict scrutiny, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari.