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NJ Supreme Court Unanimously Overturns Ruling That Allowed Mall to Interfere with Green Party’s Free Speech Rights

HeadlineJun 15, 2000

The New Jersey Supreme Court has unanimously overturned a lower court ruling that allowed a New Jersey mall to impose an insurance requirement on groups that seek to distribute information in the mall. Lawyers for the Green Party of New Jersey argued the insurance cost was prohibitive to small groups such as the Greens. The case dates from 1996, when James Mohn, a member of the Draft Nader Committee, requested space for an information table at the mall and was told the committee would have to provide proof of insurance, which could have cost $665, and that it could leaflet only one day per year. The committee filed a suit, later pursued by the Green Party, claiming such a requirement would interfere with its First Amendment free speech rights.

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