{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971)","description":"Cohen is read by Robert Corn-Revere, First Amendment media lawyer and partner at Davis Wright Tremaine. Legal Question: Whether arresting someone for wearing a jacket that says \u201cFuck the Draft\u201d under a California statute which prohibits \u201coffensive conduct\u201d violated the First Amendment. Action: The application of the statute to Cohen\u2019s expression was ruled to be unconstitutional because it did not meet the standard for fighting words or obscenity. The Court also rejected the state\u2019s reasoning that they needed to protect unwilling viewers from Cohen\u2019s display, noting that viewers \u201ccould effectively avoid further bombardment of their sensibilities by averting their eyes.\u201d Justice Harlan delivered the opinion of the Court, at 00:41 Justice Blackmun, dissenting, at 24:03 This opinion\u2019s citations have been edited down for ease of listening. For more information, visit our explanation. For more on Cohen v. California, visit FIRE\u2019s First Amendment Library. For more episodes, visit thefire.org\/outloud. Chapters:00:41 MR. JUSTICE HARLAN delivered the opinion of the Court.05:55 I. In order to lay hands ...15:17 II. Against this background, the issue ...24:03 MR. JUSTICE BLACKMUN dissenting. ","author_name":"Free Speech Out Loud","author_url":"https:\/\/www.thefire.org\/outloud","html":"