318 U.S.

413 (1943)
JAMISON
v.
TEXAS.
No. 558.
Supreme Court of Unte! St"te#.
Argued February 12, 1943.
Decided March 8, 1943.
APPEAL FRM !"E #R$M$NAL #%R! F DALLA& #%N!', TEXAS.
Mr. Hayden C. Covington (or a))e**a+,.
Mr. H.P. Kucera (or a))e**ee.
MR. -%&!$#E .LA#/ de*i0ered ,he o)i+io+ o( ,he #our,.
!he a))e**a+,, a 1e1ber o( ,he -eho0ah23 4i,+e33e3, 5a3 charged 5i,h di3,ribu,i+g ha+dbi**3 o+
,he 3,ree,3 o( Da**a3, Te$"#, i+ 0io*a,io+ o( a+ ordi+a+ce o( ,ha, ci,y 5hich )rohibi,3 ,heir
di3,ribu,io+. &he 5a3 co+0ic,ed i+ ,he #or)ora,io+ #our, o( Da**a3, a+d a))ea*ed ,o ,he 4146414
#ou+,y #ri1i+a* #our, 5here, a(,er a ,ria* de +o0o, 3he 5a3 agai+ co+0ic,ed a+d a (i+e o( 75.88
a+d co3,3 5a3 i1)o3ed. %+der Te$"# *a5 3he cou*d a))ea* ,o +o higher 3,a,e cour,,
91:
a+d 3i+ce
3he )ro)er*y rai3ed (edera* ;ue3,io+3 o( 3ub3,a+ce i+ bo,h cour,3, ,he ca3e i3 righ,(u**y here o+
a))ea* u+der < 23= >a? o( ,he -udicia* #ode. King Manufacturing Co. 0. Augusta, 2== U.S. 188 .
!he a))e**ee ha3 a3@ed u# ,o reco+3ider ,he doc,ri+e o( ,he King Manufacturing Co. ca3e u+der
5hich ,hi3 #our, ,a@e3 Auri3dic,io+ o+ a))ea* (ro1 Audg1e+,3 3u3,ai+i+g ,he 0a*idi,y o( 1u+ici)a*
ordi+a+ce3. 4e 3ee +o rea3o+ (or reco+3ideri+g ,he King Manufacturing Co. ca3e a+d (o**o5 i,
here.
4e ,hi+@ ,he Audg1e+, be*o5 1u3, be re0er3ed becau3e ,he Da**a3 ordi+a+ce de+ie3 ,o ,he
a))e**a+, ,he (reedo1 o( )re33 a+d o( re*igio+ guara+,eed ,o her by ,he Fir3, a+d Four,ee+,h
A1e+d1e+,3 o( ,he Federa* #o+3,i,u,io+.
!he 3,i)u*a,ed (ac,3 3ho5 ,ha, ,he a))e**a+,, a(,er ,hree year3 o( 3)ecia* ,rai+i+g, had de0o,ed
1a+y year3 ,o ,he 5or@ o( ,he -eho0ah23 4i,+e33e3. A, ,he ,i1e o( her arre3,, ,he a))e**a+, 5a3
di3,ribu,i+g ha+dbi**3 i+ a+ order*y a+d ;uie, 1a++er ,o )ede3,ria+3 5ho1 3he 1e, o+ ,he 3,ree,.
+ o+e 3ide o( ,he ha+dbi** 5a3 a+ i+0i,a,io+ ,o a,,e+d a ga,heri+g i+ a Da**a3 )ar@, 5hich 5a3 ,o
be o+e o( (i(,y 3i1u*,a+eou3 ga,heri+g3 o( -eho0ah23 4i,+e33e3 i+ a3 1a+y ci,ie3, ,o hear a+
addre33 by a *eader o( ,he grou) o+ BPeace, #a+ $, La3,.B !he o,her 3ide o( ,he ha+dbi** re)ea,ed
,he i+0i,a,io+ a+d de3cribed a, ,he bo,,o1 ,5o boo@3 5hich eC)*ai+ed ,he -eho0ah23 4i,+e33e32
i+,er)re,a,io+ o( ,he .ib*e a+d 3e, ou, ,heir re*igiou3 0ie53. !hi3 5a3 (o**o5ed by a 3,a,e1e+, ,ha,
,he boo@3 5ou*d be 1ai*ed BPo3,age Pre)aid o+ your co+,ribu,io+ o( 25D.B 4hi*e ,he boo@3 5ere
+o, ac,ua**y 3o*d o+ ,he 3,ree,3, ,he 4156415 a))e**a+, 5ou*d ha0e de*i0ered ,he1 ,o ,he ho1e o(
a+yo+e 5ho 1ade ,he ,5e+,yE(i0e ce+,3 co+,ribu,io+. !he boo@3 5ou*d ha0e co3, her 1ore ,ha+
,5e+,yE(i0e ce+,3.
!he Da**a3 ordi+a+ce, 5hich i3 3e, (or,h i+ ,he 1argi+,
92:
ha3 bee+ co+3,rued by ,he 3,a,e cour, ,o
(orbid ,he di3,ribu,io+ o( *ea(*e,3 by ,he a))e**a+, i+ ,he (a3hio+ ou,*i+ed abo0e.
93:
!he ci,y 3ee@3 ,o
u)ho*d ,he ordi+a+ce here o+ ,he co+,e+,io+ >a? ,ha, i, i3 Au3,i(ied a3 a+ eCerci3e o( ,he ci,y23
)*e+ary co+,ro* o( i,3 3,ree,3, a+d >b? ,ha, a))e**a+,23 ac,i0i,y 1ay be (orbidde+ becau3e ,he
*ea(*e,3 i+c*ude Bco11ercia* ad0er,i3i+g o( boo@3 5hich ,he di3,ribu,or i3 o((eri+g (or 3a*e.B
First. !he ci,y co+,e+d3 ,ha, i,3 )o5er o0er i,3 3,ree,3 i3 +o, *i1i,ed ,o ,he 1a@i+g o( rea3o+ab*e
regu*a,io+3 (or ,he co+,ro* o( ,ra((ic a+d ,he 1ai+,e+a+ce o( order, bu, ,ha, i, ha3 ,he )o5er
ab3o*u,e*y ,o )rohibi, ,he u3e o( ,he 3,ree,3 (or ,he co11u+ica,io+ o( idea3. $, re*ie3 )ri1ari*y o+
Davis 0. Massachusetts, 1F= U.S. 43 . !hi3 3a1e argu1e+,, 41F641F 1ade i+ re*ia+ce u)o+ ,he
3a1e deci3io+, ha3 bee+ direc,*y reAec,ed by ,hi3 #our,. Hague 0. C.I.O., 38= U.S. 49F, 514E51F .
( cour3e, 3,a,e3 1ay )ro0ide (or co+,ro* o( ,ra0e* o+ ,heir 3,ree,3 i+ order ,o i+3ure ,he 3a(e,y a+d
co+0e+ie+ce o( ,he ,ra0e*i+g )ub*ic. Cox 0. Ne Ha!"shire, 312 U.S. 5F9, 5=4 . !hey 1ay )u+i3h
co+duc, o+ ,he 3,ree,3 5hich i3 i+ 0io*a,io+ o( a 0a*id *a5. Cha"#ins$y 0. Ne Ha!"shire, 315 U.S.
5F8. .u, o+e 5ho i3 righ,(u**y o+ a 3,ree, 5hich ,he 3,a,e ha3 *e(, o)e+ ,o ,he )ub*ic carrie3 5i,h
hi1 ,here a3 e*3e5here ,he co+3,i,u,io+a* righ, ,o eC)re33 hi3 0ie53 i+ a+ order*y (a3hio+. !hi3
righ, eC,e+d3 ,o ,he co11u+ica,io+ o( idea3 by ha+dbi**3 a+d *i,era,ure a3 5e** a3 by ,he 3)o@e+
5ord. Hague 0. C.I.O., su"ra % &chneider 0. Irvington, 388 U.S. 14=, 1F2 . "ere, ,he ordi+a+ce a3
co+3,rued a+d a))*ied )rohibi,3 ,he di33e1i+a,io+ o( i+(or1a,io+ by ha+dbi**3. A3 3uch, i, ca++o,
be 3u3,ai+ed.
&econd. !he righ, ,o di3,ribu,e ha+dbi**3 co+cer+i+g re*igiou3 3ubAec,3 o+ ,he 3,ree,3 1ay +o, be
)rohibi,ed a, a** ,i1e3, a, a** )*ace3, a+d u+der a** circu13,a+ce3. !hi3 ha3 bee+ beyo+d
co+,ro0er3y 3i+ce ,he deci3io+ i+ 'ove## 0. (riffin, 383 U.S. 444 . !he ci,y co+,e+d3, ho5e0er, ,ha,
i+ ,he i+3,a+, ca3e ,he )rohibi,io+ i3 )er1i33ib*e becau3e ,he ha+dbi**3, a*,hough ,hey 5ere
di3,ribu,ed (or ,he u+;ue3,io+ed )ur)o3e o( (ur,heri+g re*igiou3 ac,i0i,y, co+,ai+ed a+ i+0i,a,io+ ,o
co+,ribu,e ,o ,he 3u))or, o( ,ha, ac,i0i,y by )urcha3i+g boo@3 re*a,ed ,o ,he 5or@ o( ,he grou). !he
1ere )re3e+ce o( a+ ad0er,i3e1e+, o( a re*igiou3 5or@ o+ a ha+dbi** o( ,he 3or, di3,ribu,ed here
1ay +o, 3ubAec, ,he di3,ribu,io+ o( ,he ha+dbi** ,o )rohibi,io+. $+ &chneider 0. Irvington, su"ra , 5e
he*d ,ha, ,he ci,y o( $r0i+g,o+ 1igh, +o, (orbid co+duc, a*1o3, )reci3e*y ,he 3a1e a3 ,ha, 5i,h
5hich ,he a))e**a+, i+ ,he i+3,a+, ca3e i3 charged. E0e+ 5here ha+dbi**3 carryi+g +o,ice o( a
)ub*ic ga,heri+g co+,ai+ed a 3,a,e1e+, o( a+ ad1i33io+ 41=641= (ee, 5e he*d ,ha, ,hey cou*d +o,
be barred (ro1 di3,ribu,io+ o+ ,he 3,ree,3. &chneider 0. Irvington, su"ra, 154, 1F2, 1F3 . No
ad1i33io+ 5a3 ,o be charged a, ,he 1ee,i+g (or 5hich ,he a))e**a+, 5a3 circu*a,i+g *ea(*e,3 i+ ,he
i+3,a+, ca3e. $+ Cante## 0. Connecticut, 318 U.S. 29F, 385, 5e 3aid ,ha, a 3,a,e 1igh, +o,
)re0e+, ,he co**ec,io+ o( (u+d3 (or a re*igiou3 )ur)o3e by u+rea3o+ab*y ob3,ruc,i+g or de*ayi+g
,heir co**ec,io+.
!he 3,a,e3 ca+ )rohibi, ,he u3e o( ,he 3,ree,3 (or ,he di3,ribu,io+ o( )ure*y co11ercia* *ea(*e,3,
e0e+ ,hough 3uch *ea(*e,3 1ay ha0e Ba ci0ic a))ea*, or a 1ora* )*a,i,udeB a))e+ded. )a#entine 0.
Chrestensen, 31F U.S. 52, 55 . !hey 1ay +o, )rohibi, ,he di3,ribu,io+ o( ha+dbi**3 i+ ,he )ur3ui, o(
a c*ear*y re*igiou3 ac,i0i,y 1ere*y becau3e ,he ha+dbi**3 i+0i,e ,he )urcha3e o( boo@3 (or ,he
i1)ro0ed u+der3,a+di+g o( ,he re*igio+ or becau3e ,he ha+dbi**3 3ee@ i+ a *a5(u* (a3hio+ ,o
)ro1o,e ,he rai3i+g o( (u+d3 (or re*igiou3 )ur)o3e3.
*eversed.
MR. -%&!$#E FRAN/F%R!ER ac;uie3ce3 i+ ,he re(u3a* ,o reco+3ider King Mfg. Co. 0. Augusta,
2== U.S. 188, a*,hough, (or ,he rea3o+3 3e, (or,h by "o*1e3 a+d .ra+dei3, --., di33e+,i+g, he
dee13 ,ha, ca3e ,o ha0e bee+ erro+eou3*y decided. ,her5i3e he agree3 5i,h ,he o)i+io+ i+ ,hi3
ca3e.
MR. -%&!$#E R%!LEDGE ,oo@ +o )ar, i+ ,he co+3idera,io+ or deci3io+ o( ,hi3 ca3e.
91: !he Te$"# )rac,ice u+der 5hich ,hi3 i3 ,he highe3, 3,a,e cour, ,o 5hich a))e**a+, cou*d a))ea* i3 co+3idered i+ 'argent 0.
Texas, "ost, ). 418.
92: B&ca,,eri+g ha+dbi**3, e,c. H $, 3ha** be u+*a5(u* (or a+y )er3o+ ,o carry or ho*d by ha+d or o,her5i3e, a+y bi**board, 3ho5 card,
)*acard or ad0er,i3e1e+,, or ,o 5ear a+y co3,u1e (or ,he )ur)o3e o( a,,rac,i+g a,,e+,io+ o( ,he )ub*ic, or ,o 3ca,,er or ,hro5 a+y
ha+dbi**3, circu*ar3, card3, +e53)a)er3 or a+y ad0er,i3i+g de0ice o( a+y de3cri),io+, a*o+g or u)o+ a+y 3,ree, or 3ide5a*@ i+ ,he
ci,y o( Da**a3. A+y )er3o+ 0io*a,i+g a+y o( ,he )ro0i3io+3 o( ,hi3 ar,ic*e 3ha** be dee1ed gui*,y o( a 1i3de1ea+or, a+d u)o+
co+0ic,io+, 1ay be (i+ed i+ a+y 3u1 +o, eCceedi+g o+e hu+dred do**ar3.B
93: !he co1)*ai+, u+der 5hich ,he a))e**a+, 5a3 co+0ic,ed a**eged ,ha, 3he did Bcarry, ho*d by ha+d, di3,ribu,e, 3ca,,er a+d ,hro5
ha+dbi**3 a3 a+ ad0er,i3i+g 1ediu1B i+ 0io*a,io+ o( ,he ordi+a+ce. $, 5i** be +o,ed ,ha, ,he 5ord Bdi3,ribu,e,B 5hich doe3 +o, a))ear
i+ ,he ordi+a+ce, i3 a )ar, o( ,he co1)*ai+,I a+d ,ha, ,he 5ord3 Bcarry or ho*d by ha+d,B 5hich a))ear i+ ,he (ir3, c*au3e o( ,he
ordi+a+ce a3 re*a,i+g ,o bi**board3, e, ce,era, ha0e bee+ a))*ied i+ ,he co1)*ai+, a3 ,hough re*a,i+g ,o Bha+dbi**3,B 5hich a))ear3
i+ ,he 3eco+d c*au3e o( ,he ordi+a+ce i+ co++ec,io+ 5i,h )a)er3 3ca,,ered or ,hro5+ o+ ,he 3,ree,.