Defending your First Amendment Rights
There is no question that establishing and enforcing zoning ordinances for adult businesses present some difficult challenges for city councils. While some zoning ordinances truly do protect the safety and quiet environment of neighborhoods, others are indefensible. Owners of adult entertainment businesses usually face an uphill battle when fighting the “not-in-my-backyard” neighborhood groups and others who would see their values protected at the expense of your First Amendment rights.
Adult establishment zoning requires a three-pronged approach
To successfully fight city hall, we use our experience to present strategies that affect three specific areas of the law:
- First, we question the city’s definition of an adult business. If the business excludes minors as customers, it does not necessarily make it an adult establishment, within a widely recognized definition. A bar that serves alcohol but does not admit minors may not necessarily include adult nude dancing. We argue for a legal definition that makes constitutional sense.
- Second, we force the zoning commission to examine the true effects of the adult business. While other zoning law firms rely on standard arguments for zoning variances, we rely on our criminal trial background to fight for protecting the rights of business owners and operators. Just because a neighborhood watch group thinks that an adult business causes crime to increase in the area, does not make it so. We use our courtroom experience to argue against hearsay evidence with empirical studies. We lay out the facts and expect zoning commissioners and city counsels to stick to them.
- Finally, we argue strongly for the equal rights of law abiding people to have the opportunity to start and operate a successful business in America. We are vigorous trial defenders of equal protection under the law and equal opportunity for success.
Protecting your First Amendment rights is worth fighting the good fight
If you are facing a challenge relating to zoning, regulations or licensing, contact us to schedule a no-cost consultation. We will start fighting to protect your rights immediately.