Virginia city’s sign ordinance found impermissible under First Amendment standards

After the Supreme Court’s ruling in an Arizona case last year, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court decision to overturn a Norfolk, Virginia ordinance restricting the size of signs. The sign in question protested the city’s move to seize property for expansion of the Old Dominion University. (Richmond Times-Dispatch, January 30. 2016, by the Associated Press)

The attorney for Central Radio that brought the suit said, “The 4th Circuit’s decision demonstrates how protecting free speech is essential to the preservation of our other rights and liberties, including property rights.” The city’s ordinance would have allowed another sign of the same size if it were not protesting city policy so the court found content-discrimination, not allowed under the First Amendment.  (Institute for Justice, January 29, 2016, press release by John Kramer)