Inc. v. Rhode Island Liquormart (44 )

Petitioner

44 Liquormart, Inc., et al.

Respondent

State of Rhode Island, et al.

Petitioner's Claim

That a Rhode Island law prohibiting liquor retailers from advertising truthful information about liquor prices violated the liquor retailers' freedom of speech under the First Amendment.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner

Evan T. Lawson

Chief Lawyer for Respondent

Rebecca T. Partington

Justices for the Court

Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anthony M. Kennedy, Sandra Day O'Connor, William H. Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia, David H. Souter, John Paul Stevens (writing for the Court), Clarence Thomas

Justices Dissenting

None

Place

Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision

13 May 1996

Decision

That Rhode Island's complete ban on advertising of liquor prices unconstitutionally restricted free speech in violation of the First Amendment.

Sources

Smolla, Rodney A. Free Speech in an Open Society. New York: Knopf, 1992.