By Connor Radnovich | Cronkite News
WASHINGTON — A divided federal appellate court on Friday upheld a Gilbert sign ordinance, saying it did not infringe on the First Amendment rights of Good News Presbyterian Church.
A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that town restrictions on the placement of church signs were not based on the signs’ content and did not infringe on the church’s right to free exercise of religion or its right to equal protection.
But in a dissenting opinion, Judge Paul Watford said the sign ordinance was unconstitutional, saying that it favored political and ideological signs over signs promoting events, like those the church used.
“Gilbert’s sign ordinance violates the First and 14th amendments by drawing content-based distinctions among different categories of non-commercial speech,” Watford wrote.
An attorney for the church said he was reviewing the case and will decide soon whether to appeal. The pastor of Good News said he was disappointed in the ruling.
