Court Cases

Joseph Burstyn, Inc v. Wilson

This case was based on the constitutionality of the New York Education Law which allowed a censor to forbid the commercial showing of any non-licensed motion picture film, or revoke or deny the license of a film deemed to be sacrilegious. The Supreme court ruled that the law was unconstitutional based on the fact that it violated the first amendment as it was a “restraint of freedom of speech.”

Cohen v. California

This case was based on the ruling by the California state courts that a a nineteen eyar old boy was disturbing the peace by wearing a jacket that said “ Fuck the draft.” The supreme court declared that the boy did nothing wrong and that he was just exercising his first amendment right.