los angeles police department reporting publishing argued october decided december respondent publishing company provides names addresses recently arrested individuals customers include attorneys insurance companies drug alcohol counselors driving schools received information petitioner california state local law enforcement agencies state amended cal govt code require person requesting arrestee address declare request made one five prescribed purposes address used directly indirectly sell product service respondent sought declaratory injunctive relief hold amendment unconstitutional first fourteenth amendments federal district ultimately granted respondent summary judgment construed respondent claim presenting facial challenge amended affirming ninth circuit concluded statute unconstitutionally restricts commercial speech held respondent cases entitled prevail facial attack allowance first amendment overbreadth challenge statute exception traditional rule person statute may constitutionally applied may challenge statute ground may conceivably applied unconstitutionally others situations new york ferber overbreadth doctrine strong medicine employed last resort least purposes facial invalidation petitioner correct abridgment anyone right engage speech simply law regulating access information government hands case government prohibiting speaker conveying information speaker already possesses california law merely requires respondent qualify statute wishes obtain arrestees addresses california decide give arrestee information without violating first amendment cf houchins kqed extent respondent facial challenge seeks rely statute effect parties respondent potential customers example claim fall within case law allowing courts entertain facial challenges threat prosecution see gooding wilson cut funds see national endowment arts finley hangs heads alternative bases affirmance urged respondent remain open remand properly presented preserved ninth circuit pp reversed rehnquist delivered opinion scalia souter thomas ginsburg breyer joined scalia filed concurring opinion thomas joined ginsburg filed concurring opinion souter breyer joined stevens filed dissenting opinion kennedy joined los angeles police department petitioner reporting publishing corporation writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit december chief justice rehnquist delivered opinion california government code places two conditions public access arrestees addresses person requesting address declare request made one five prescribed purposes requestor also declare address used directly indirectly sell product service district permanently enjoined enforcement statute appeals affirmed holding statute facially invalid unduly burdens commercial speech hold statutory section question subject facial challenge petitioner los angeles police department maintains records relating arrestees respondent reporting publishing corporation private publishing service provides names addresses recently arrested individuals customers include attorneys insurance companies drug alcohol counselors driving schools july respondent received arrestees names addresses old version generally required state local law enforcement agencies make public name address occupation every individual arrested agency cal govt code west effective july state legislature amended limit public access arrestees victims current addresses amended statute provides state local law enforcement agencies shall make public current address every individual arrested agency current address victim crime requester declares penalty perjury request made scholarly journalistic political governmental purpose request made investigation purposes licensed private investigator except address victim certain crimes shall remain confidential address information obtained pursuant paragraph shall used directly indirectly sell product service individual group individuals requester shall execute declaration effect penalty perjury cal govt code west supp sections require state local law enforcement agencies make public inter alia name occupation physical description including date birth every individual arrested agency well circumstances arrest thus amended limits access arrestees addresses effective date amendment respondent sought declaratory injunctive relief pursuant hold amendment unconstitutional first fourteenth amendments constitution effective date statute petitioner law enforcement agencies denied respondent access address information according respondent respondent employees sign section declarations brief respondent respondent allege nothing record indicates ever declar ed penalty perjury requesting information one prescribed purposes use address information directly indirectly sell product service required statute see respondent amended complaint sought temporary restraining order district issued temporary restraining order days later issued preliminary injunction respondent filed motion summary judgment granted granting motion district construed respondent claim presenting facial challenge amended reporting publishing lungren supp sd cal held statute facially invalid first amendment appeals affirmed district facial invalidation reporting publishing california highway patrol concluded statute restricted commercial speech entitled limited measure protection commensurate subordinate position scale first amendment values ibid quoting ohralik ohio state bar applied test set central hudson gas elec public serv found asserted governmental interest protecting arrestees privacy substantial held numerous exceptions journalistic scholarly political governmental investigative purposes render statute unconstitutional first amendment noted aving one name crime address printed local paper far greater affront privacy receiving letter attorney substance abuse counselor driving school eager help one overcome present difficulties fee naturally thus exceptions undermine counteract asserted governmental interest preserving arrestees privacy ibid thus appeals affirmed district grant summary judgment favor respondent upheld injunction enforcement granted certiorari hold respondent cases entitled prevail facial attack respondent primary argument district appeals invalid face respondent maintains position believe cases hold otherwise traditional rule person statute may constitutionally applied may challenge statute ground may conceivably applied unconstitutionally others situations new york ferber citing broadrick oklahoma prototypical exceptions traditional rule first amendment challenges statutes based first amendment overbreadth least statutes regulate proscribe speech transcendent value society constitutionally protected expression deemed justify allowing attacks overly broad statutes requirement person making attack demonstrate conduct regulated statute drawn requisite narrow specificity gooding wilson quoting dombrowski pfister deemed necessary persons whose expression constitutionally protected may well refrain exercising right fear criminal sanctions provided statute susceptible application protected expression gooding wilson supra see also thornhill alabama gooding example defendant one group picketed army headquarters building carrying signs opposing vietnam war confrontation police occurred result gooding charged using opprobrious words abusive language tending cause breach peace thornhill defendant prosecuted violation statute forbidding person picket works place business persons firms corporations associations persons purpose hindering delaying interfering injuring lawful business enterprise say threat criminal prosecution necessary condition entertainment facial challenge permitted attacks statutes appropriate circumstances threat present see national endowment arts finley entertaining facial challenge public funding scheme suitum tahoe regional planning agency entertaining landowner facial challenge local redevelopment plan anderson edwards entertaining facial challenge state regulation restructuring disbursal welfare benefits allowance facial overbreadth challenge statute exception traditional rule person statute may constitutionally applied may challenge statute ground may conceivably applied unconstitutionally others situations ferber citing broadrick supra general rule reflects two cardinal principles constitutional order personal nature constitutional rights prudential limitations constitutional adjudication focusing factual situation us similar cases necessary development constitutional rule face flesh blood legal problems data relevant adequate informed judgment id footnotes omitted even though challenge based first amendment overbreadth doctrine casually employed effects striking statute face request one whose conduct may punished despite first amendment recognized overbreadth doctrine strong medicine employed hesitation last resort citing broadrick supra acial overbreadth adjudication exception traditional rules practice function limited one outset attenuates otherwise unprotected behavior forbids state sanction moves pure speech toward conduct conduct even expressive falls within scope otherwise valid criminal laws quoting broadrick supra see also board airport los angeles jews jesus appeals held facially invalid first amendment petitioner contends section question abridgment anyone right engage speech commercial otherwise simply law regulating access information hands police department believe least purposes facial invalidation petitioner view correct case government prohibiting speaker conveying information speaker already possesses see rubin coors brewing california statute question merely requires respondent wishes obtain addresses arrestees must qualify statute respondent attempt qualify therefore denied access addresses purposes assessing propriety facial invalidation us nothing governmental denial access information possession california decide give arrestee information without violating first amendment cf houchins kqed extent respondent facial challenge seeks rely effect statute parties potential customers example claim fit within case law allowing courts entertain facial challenges threat prosecution example see gooding cutoff funds see nea hangs heads may seek access statute respondent without incurring burden prospect request denied resort facial challenge warranted possibility protected speech muted bates state bar arizona appeals therefore wrong facially invalidate respondent urges several grounds alternative bases affirmance none passed appeals remain open remand properly presented preserved judgment appeals accordingly reversed los angeles police department petitioner reporting publishing corporation writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit december justice scalia justice thomas joins concurring join opinion agree insofar case presents facial challenge statute fact formally nothing restriction upon access government information determinative says fact eliminates chill upon speech allow plaintiff complain application statute someone understand opinion addressing challenge statute leaving question open upon remand seems permissible course since appeals judgment affirmed without qualification judgment district rested exclusively upon facial unconstitutionality statute hence purported invalidate applications though portions appeals opinion address particular circumstances respondent read narrowing facial invalidation offering invalidation alternative ground affirmance agree justice ginsburg renders statute immune facial challenge necessarily renders immune challenge well law formally merely restriction upon access information subjects speaker risk prosecution hence need protect speakers allowing someone else raise challenges law entirely different question whether restriction upon access allows access press effect makes information part public domain time denies access persons wish use information certain speech purposes reality restriction upon speech rather upon access government information question subsequent question whether restriction upon speech application respondent justified addressed opinion los angeles police department petitioner reporting publishing corporation writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit december justice ginsburg justice justice souter justice breyer join concurring join opinion recognizes california government code properly analyzed restriction access government information restriction protected speech see ante sufficient reason reverse ninth circuit judgment observes see ante statute issue restrict speakers conveying information already possess anyone comes upon arrestee address information public domain free use information sees fit true justice scalia suggests ante information provided published journalists indeed speech restriction prohibited people using published information speak arrestees statute contains prohibition address information public domain statute restrict use way california notes constitutionally decide give arrestee address information see ante appear selective disclosure address information california chosen instead impermissibly burdens speech sure provision address information kind subsidy people wish speak arrestees state decides make benefit available public doubt limits freedom decide benefit distributed california example release address information whose political views line party power cf board wabaunsee cty umbehr local officials may terminate independent contractor criticizing government policy award subsidy based illegitimate criterion viewpoint california free support speech without supporting speech see regan taxation representation throughout argument respondent assumes regime selective disclosure burdens speech sense reducing total flow information whether correct far clear depends point comparison california publish names addresses arrestees everyone use freely indeed easier speak arrestees present system required choose keeping proprietary information making available without limits might well choose former option event disallowing selective disclosure lead speech overall secrecy less speech noted consideration justify limited disclosures discriminated basis viewpoint proscribed criterion suggest society interest free flow information might argue upholding laws like one issue case rather imposing regime nothing state easiest response los angeles police department petitioner reporting publishing corporation writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit december justice stevens justice kennedy joins dissenting majority characterization case improper facial challenge misguided even brief look complaint reveals respondent unequivocally advanced facial applied challenge constitutionality california government code hereinafter amendment six counts complaint respondent explicitly challenged amendment face applied complaint respondent also alleged already injured serious way amendment specifically claimed lost prospective clients sales ultimately put business id finally respondent maintained us continues challenge amendment face applied brief respondent therefore perfectly clear respondent allegations direct injury justified decision district appeals pass validity amendment determine whether amendment valid applied respondent similarly necessary invoke overbreadth doctrine doctrine relevant challenger needs rely possibility invalid applications third parties case application amendment respondent issue opinion necessary central hudson dance agree majority amendment really restriction access government information rather direct restriction protected speech reason majority surely correct observing california decide give arrestee information without violating first amendment ante moreover think equally clear california release information selective basis limited group users special legitimate need information different difficult question presented state makes information generally available denies access small disfavored class case state making information available scholars news media politicians others denying access narrow category persons solely intend use information constitutionally protected purpose justice ginsburg points state identified disfavored persons based viewpoint political affiliation example discrimination clearly invalid see ante concurring opinion state opinion comparable obviously unconstitutional discrimination case denial access based fact respondent plans publish information others turn intend use commercial speech purpose state finds objectionable respondent proposed publication information indisputably lawful petitioner concedes respondent independently acquires data first amendment protects right communicate others brief petitioner see also cox broadcasting cohn similarly first amendment supports third parties use commercial speech purposes see shapero kentucky bar thus state discrimination based desire prevent information used constitutionally protected purposes think must assume burden justifying conduct justification advanced state asserted interest protecting privacy victims arrestees although interest explain total ban access statute narrowly limiting access insufficient data published news media obtained private investigators others meet amendment vague criteria amendment plainly suffers overall irrationality undermined statutes issue rubin coors brewing greater new orleans broadcasting allowing widespread access information state eviscerated rational basis believing amendment truly protect privacy persons see cox broadcasting different likely rationale might explain restriction state desire prevent lawyers soliciting law business unrepresented defendants interest arguably consistent trying uphold ethics legal profession also stake however important interests allowing lawyers engage protected speech potentially giving criminal defendants better access needed professional assistance see bates state bar ultimately state interest must fail core relies discrimination disfavored speech state might simply withhold information persons insulate actions constitutional scrutiny even though government may withhold particular benefit entirely may deny benefit person basis infringes constitutionally protected interests especially interest freedom speech perry sindermann contrary view impermissibly allow government produce result command directly ibid perfectly clear california directly censor use information resulting speech follows believe state discriminatory ban access information attempt prohibit persons exercising constitutional rights publish truthful accurate manner equally invalid accordingly respectfully dissent footnotes section provides pertinent part provisions subdivision notwithstanding state local law enforcement agencies shall make public following information except extent disclosure particular item information endanger safety person involved investigation endanger successful completion investigation related investigation full name occupation every individual arrested agency individual physical description including date birth color eyes hair sex height weight time date arrest time date booking location arrest factual circumstances surrounding arrest amount bail set time manner release location individual currently held charges individual held upon including outstanding warrants jurisdictions parole probation holds subject restrictions imposed section penal code time substance location complaints requests assistance received agency time nature response thereto including extent information regarding crimes alleged committed incident investigated recorded time date location occurrence time date report name age victim factual circumstances surrounding crime incident general description injuries property weapons involved name victim crime defined section penal code may withheld victim request request victim parent guardian victim minor person victim one crime information disclosing person victim crime defined section penal code may deleted request victim victim parent guardian victim minor making report crime crime incident accompanying crime available public compliance requirements paragraph respondent challenged statute violation equal protection fourteenth amendment appeals pass challenge footnotes majority suggests respondent denied information simply attempt qualify statute ante suggestion assumes respondent publication might qualify journalistic even though serves primarily mere conduit data prospective commercial users amendment provides however even journalistic publication must sign risk criminal prosecution perjury affidavit stating information used directly indirectly sell product service individual group individuals cal govt code west supp coincidentally precisely respondent uses information accordingly belief respondent qualified statute unrealistic notion respondent must put risk years imprisonment order raise constitutional challenge state statute alarming say least majority characterization lower decisions simple facial invalidations perplexing see ante district explicitly phrased issue presented whether amendment cal gov code unconstitutional limitation plaintiff commercial speech reporting publishing lungren supp sd cal emphasis added similarly ninth circuit concluded opinion stating need reach respondent overbreadth arguments reporting publishing california highway patrol clearly indicating deciding case facial challenge direct evidence state acting intended animus toward respondent others speech see brief petitioner expressly rejected argument discriminatory treatment suspect first amendment legislature intends suppress certain ideas simon schuster members state crime victims cases repeatedly frowned regulations discriminate based content speech identity speaker see greater new orleans broadcasting slip government restrict advertising private casinos allowing advertising tribal casinos simon schuster government singl income derived expressive activity burden state places income arkansas writers project ragland tax applies magazines others particularly repugnant first amendment principles magazine tax status depends entirely content emphasis omitted regan time regulations permit government discriminate basis content message tolerated first amendment minneapolis star tribune minnesota revenue tax single press special treatment unconstitutional police dept chicago mosley frequently condemned discrimination among different users medium expression