Young v. American Mini Theatres, Inc.

Young v. American Mini Theatres, 427 U.S. 50 (1976), is a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States upheld a city ordinance of Detroit, Michigan requiring dispersal of adult businesses throughout the city.

Full case nameYoung, Mayor of Detroit, et al. v. American Mini Theatres, Incorporated, et al.

Citations427 U.S. 50 (more)

96 S. Ct. 2440; 49 L. Ed. 2d 310; 1976 U.S. LEXIS 3; 1 Media L. Rep. 1151

MajorityStevens (Parts I, II), joined by Burger, White, Powell, Rehnquist

PluralityStevens (Part III), joined by Burger, White, Rehnquist

Quick facts Argued March 24, 1976 Decided June 24, 1976, Full case name ...

Young v. American Mini Theatres
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued March 24, 1976 Decided June 24, 1976
Full case name	Young, Mayor of Detroit, et al. v. American Mini Theatres, Incorporated, et al.
Citations	427 U.S. 50 (more) 96 S. Ct. 2440; 49 L. Ed. 2d 310; 1976 U.S. LEXIS 3; 1 Media L. Rep. 1151
Holding
It is constitutional for a city to enact a zoning rule that treats ordinary cinemas differently from adult cinemas.
Court membership
Chief Justice Warren E. Burger Associate Justices William J. Brennan Jr. · Potter Stewart Byron White · Thurgood Marshall Harry Blackmun · Lewis F. Powell Jr. William Rehnquist · John P. Stevens
Case opinions
Majority	Stevens (Parts I, II), joined by Burger, White, Powell, Rehnquist
Plurality	Stevens (Part III), joined by Burger, White, Rehnquist
Concurrence	Powell
Dissent	Stewart, joined by Brennan, Marshall, Blackmun
Dissent	Blackmun, joined by Brennan, Stewart, Marshall
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amend. I

Close

Justice Stevens (writing for the plurality) reasoned that the speech involved here is of lower value, and the city also has a compelling interest in protecting quality of life.

Justice Powell (concurring) disagreed with Stevens' "lower value speech" argument (thus limiting Part III of the opinion to a plurality), but wrote that this is only a place restriction with a limited effect on speech.