No. 19-1091

Steve Ray Evans v. Sandy City, Utah, et al.

Lower Court: Tenth Circuit
Docketed: 2020-03-05
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response RequestedResponse WaivedRelisted (2) Experienced Counsel
Tags: expressive-conduct first-amendment free-speech government-burden government-regulation less-restrictive-alternatives public-forum roadway-medians speech-restriction traffic-safety
Key Terms:
FirstAmendment JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2020-09-29 (distributed 2 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a government may ban expressive conduct without first trying to advance its interests using less speech-restrictive measures

Question Presented (from Petition)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED In McCullen v. Coakley, 573 U.S. 464, 494 (2014), this Court held that before banning speech, a government must “show[] that it seriously undertook to address” its interests “with less intrusive tools readily available to it.”. And in Frisby v. Schultz, 487 U.S. 474, 480-481 (1988), the Court held that all “public streets,” without further “particularized inquiry,” are traditional public fora. Applying these principles, several courts of appeals have struck down laws preventing the use of roadway medians for expressive conduct, such as political campaigning and soliciting donations. The Tenth Circuit departed from that line of authority by holding that Sandy City, Utah, could ban individuals from some medians to promote traffic safety, without first attempting to address its safety concerns through less intrusive measures. The questions presented are: 1. Whether a government may ban expressive conduct without first trying to advance its interests using less speech-restrictive measures, as the Tenth Circuit held below, in conflict with decisions of this Court and the First, Third, Fourth, and Ninth Circuits. 2. Whether a government may ban all expressive conduct in or near roadways on the ground that doing so is necessary to eliminate the risk of traffic accidents, as the Tenth Circuit held below, in conflict with decisions of this Court and the First, Fourth, and Ninth Circuits. i

Docket Entries

2020-10-05
Petition DENIED.
2020-09-04
Letter of September 4, 2020 from counsel for petitioner filed.
2020-06-24
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2020.
2020-06-23
Reply of petitioner Steve Ray Evans filed. (Distributed)
2020-06-08
Brief of respondents Sandy City, et al. in opposition filed.
2020-05-04
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including June 8, 2020.
2020-05-01
Motion to extend the time to file a response from May 7, 2020 to June 8, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-04-07
Response Requested. (Due May 7, 2020)
2020-03-25
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/17/2020.
2020-03-17
Waiver of right of respondent Sandy City, et al. to respond filed.
2020-03-02
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due April 6, 2020)

Attorneys

Sandy City, et al.
Troy L. BooherZimmerman Booher, Respondent
Troy L. BooherZimmerman Booher, Respondent
Steve Ray Evans
Kevin Paul MartinGoodwin Procter LLP, Petitioner
Kevin Paul MartinGoodwin Procter LLP, Petitioner