Coates vs. City of Cincinnati

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coates_v._City_of_Cincinnati Coates vs. Cincinnati

This court case means the United State Supreme Court define the meaning of the word, annoying. In 1956 Cincinnati, Ohio passed a local law which that stated: It shall be unlawful for three or more persons to assemble, except at a public meeting of citizens, on any of the sidewalks, street corners, vacant lots or mouths of alleys, and there conduct themselves in a manner annoying to persons passing by, or occupants of adjacent buildings. Anyone who has broken that law would be fine for fifty dollars or placed in jail for less than 30 days. Appellant Coates, a student, was involved with several other people who were having a demonstration and picketing about a labor dispute. Coates appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court. He claimed that the law violated his first and fourteenth amendments given to him by the constitution. The first amendment protects free speech and peaceful protest. The law was made so vague that it violates fourteenth amendment, due process. By a 5–4 vote, the Supreme Court made the Cincinnati's local law null and void. They talk about how different people find different things annoying. The majority stated that the courts will not uphold a law that vaguely limit the rights of individual given to them by the constitution. They further stated that laws must have a clear outline of what is allowed and what is not allowed. This case is important as the law was designed to limit local protest but the ruling of the Supreme Court prevents other cities from making similarly vague laws.