Valentine v. Chrestensen
United States Supreme Court
316 U.S. 52 (1942)
Relevant factsFree
A New York City ordinance (enforced by Valentine, defendant) forbade distributing commercial advertising on city streets; Chrestensen (plaintiff), who owned a former Navy submarine offering paid tours, handed out advertising pamphlets on city streets and was restrained by police under the ordinance. He sued claiming a First Amendment violation, and the lower courts granted him a permanent injunction against enforcement.
IssueFree
Whether the First Amendment protects purely commercial advertising on public streets.