Orange : City’s Billboard Law Judged Unconstitutional
A city ordinance banning billboards was declared unconstitutional Monday by a federal judge in Los Angeles.
U.S. District Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr. ruled against three parts of the ordinance in granting a motion for summary judgment to National Advertising Co., which had brought suit against the city a year ago.
According to National Advertising attorney Gary Mobley, Hatter’s ruling granting preliminary and permanent injunctions against the city followed the direction taken in a recent U.S. Supreme Court case involving a San Diego billboard ordinance.
Mobley, who had argued that a failing of the city’s law was that it permitted on-premise advertising but not off-premise, said Hatter found that the law regulating billboards violated First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech.
The advertising firm’s suit, which was filed July 29, 1985, also sought $3 million in damages. But, Mobley said Monday, Hatter has continued action on the damages issue for 60 days.
Neither City Atty. Furman Roberts nor City Manager J. William Little was available Monday for comment on Hatter’s decision.
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