freedman maryland argued november decided march appellant convicted exhibiting motion picture without submitting maryland state board censors prior approval despite contention motion picture censorship statute unconstitutionally impaired freedom expression maryland appeals affirmed held motion pictures concerned requirement prior submission censorship board necessarily unconstitutional times film city chicago pp one challenge licensing statute endangers freedom expression whether conduct prohibited properly drawn statute whether applied license heavy presumption constitutional validity prior restraints expression bantam books sullivan noncriminal process requiring prior submission film censor avoids constitutional invalidity procedural safeguards designed eliminate dangers censorship pp censor must burden proving film expression unprotected constitution restraint prior judicial review must limited preservation status quo shortest period compatible sound judicial procedure pp prompt final judicial determination obscenity must assured absence maryland procedure adequate safeguards undue inhibition protected expression renders statutory requirement prior submission censorship invalid previous restraint pp felix bilgrey argued cause appellant brief richard whiteford louis pollak thomas finan attorney general maryland argued cause appellee brief robert sweeney roger redden assistant attorneys general edward de grazia melvin wulf filed brief american civil liberties union et amici curiae urging reversal justice brennan delivered opinion appellant sought challenge constitutionality maryland motion picture censorship statute md ann code art exhibited film revenge daybreak baltimore theatre without first submitting picture state board censors required thereof state concedes picture violate statutory standards received license properly submitted appellant convicted violation despite contention statute entirety unconstitutionally impaired freedom expression appeals maryland affirmed md noted probable jurisdiction reverse times film city chicago considered upheld requirement submission motion pictures advance exhibition appeals held authority decision maryland censorship law must held void face violative freedoms protected state action first fourteenth amendments reliance times film misplaced question tendered decision case whether prior restraint necessarily unconstitutional circumstances bantam books sullivan emphasis original exhibitor argument requirement submission without amounted constitutionally prohibited prior restraint interpreted times film contention constitutional protection includes complete absolute freedom exhibit least every kind motion picture even film contains basest type pornography incitement riot forceful overthrow orderly government held narrow question argument stated principle prior restraints broadly citing number decisions quoted statement near minnesota protection even previous restraint absolutely unlimited rejecting proffered proposition times film emphasized however question alone decide therefore inaccurate say times film upheld specific features chicago censorship ordinance unlike petitioner times film appellant argue unconstitutional simply may prevent even first showing film whose exhibition may legitimately subject obscenity prosecution presents question quite distinct passed times film accepting rule times film argues constitutes invalid prior restraint context remainder statute presents danger unduly suppressing protected expression focuses particularly procedure initial decision censorship board without judicial participation effectively bars exhibition disapproved film unless exhibitor undertakes appeal maryland courts succeeds board decision reversed statute exhibitor required submit film board examination time limit imposed completion board action film disapproved elimination ordered provides person submitting film view examination receive immediate notice elimination disapproval appealed film view promptly presence person two members board finally approved disapproved promptly right appeal decision board baltimore city baltimore city shall right appeal decision baltimore city appeals maryland subject generally time manner provided taking appeal appeals light difference issues presented times film appeals erred saying since appellant refusal submit film board violation restricted attack section alone lacks standing challenge provisions alleged shortcomings statute appellant challenged submission requirement vacuum concrete statutory context contention effects invalid prior restraint structure provisions statute contributes infirmity assert provisions independently invalid area freedom expression well established one standing challenge statute ground delegates overly broad licensing discretion administrative office whether conduct proscribed properly drawn statute whether applied license one might license asking may call question whole scheme licensing prosecuted failure procure thornhill alabama see staub city baxley saia new york thomas collins hague cio lovell city griffin standing recognized cases danger tolerating area first amendment freedoms existence penal statute susceptible sweeping improper application naacp button see also amsterdam note doctrine rev although occasion decide whether vice overbroadness infects maryland statute think appellant assertion similar danger maryland apparatus censorship one always fraught danger viewed suspicion gives standing make challenge substance argument apparatus operates statutory context judicial review may little late maryland statute lacks sufficient safeguards confining censor action judicially determined constitutional limits therefore contains vice statute delegating excessive administrative discretion ii although said motion pictures necessarily subject precise rules governing particular method expression joseph burstyn wilson true forms expression ny system prior restraints expression comes bearing heavy presumption constitutional validity bantam books sullivan supra nder fourteenth amendment state free adopt whatever procedures pleases dealing obscenity without regard possible consequences constitutionally protected speech marcus search warrant administration censorship system motion pictures presents peculiar dangers constitutionally protected speech unlike prosecution obscenity censorship proceeding puts initial burden exhibitor distributor censor business censor inheres danger may well less responsive part independent branch government constitutionally protected interests free expression made unduly onerous reason delay otherwise seek judicial review censor determination may practice final applying settled rule cases hold noncriminal process requires prior submission film censor avoids constitutional infirmity takes place procedural safeguards designed obviate dangers censorship system first burden proving film unprotected expression must rest censor said speiser randall transcendent value speech involved due process certainly requires state bear burden persuasion show appellants engaged criminal speech second state may require advance submission films order proceed effectively bar showings unprotected films requirement administered manner lend effect finality censor determination whether film constitutes protected expression teaching cases judicial determination adversary proceeding ensures necessary sensitivity freedom expression procedure requiring judicial determination suffices impose valid final restraint see bantam books sullivan supra quantity books kansas marcus search warrant supra manual enterprises day end exhibitor must assured statute authoritative judicial construction censor within specified brief period either issue license go restrain showing film restraint imposed advance final judicial determination merits must similarly limited preservation status quo shortest fixed period compatible sound judicial resolution moreover well aware even expiration temporary restraint administrative refusal license signifying censor view film unprotected may discouraging effect exhibitor see bantam books sullivan supra therefore procedure must also assure prompt final judicial decision minimize deterrent effect interim possibly erroneous denial license without safeguards may prove burdensome seek review censor determination particularly case motion pictures may take little deter exhibition given locality exhibitor stake one picture may insufficient warrant protracted onerous course litigation distributor hand may equally unwilling accept burdens delays litigation particular area without difficulties freely exhibit film rest country told four handful municipalities active censorship laws readily apparent maryland procedural scheme satisfy criteria first censor disapproves film exhibitor must assume burden instituting judicial proceedings persuading courts film protected expression second board acted film exhibition prohibited pending judicial review however protracted statute appellant convicted shown film unsuccessfully seeking license even though ever ruled obscenity film third abundantly clear maryland statute provides assurance prompt judicial determination hold therefore appellant conviction must reversed maryland scheme fails provide adequate safeguards undue inhibition protected expression renders requirement prior submission films board invalid previous restraint iii whether maryland incorporate required procedural safeguards statutory scheme course state decide model lacking kingsley books brown upheld new york injunctive procedure designed prevent sale obscene books procedure postpones restraint sale judicial determination obscenity following notice adversary hearing statute provides hearing one day joinder issue judge must hand decision within two days termination hearing new york procedure operates without prior submission censor chilling effect censorship order even one requires judicial action enforcement suggests reason expeditious determination question whether particular film constitutionally protected requirement prior submission censor sustained times film consistent recognition films differ forms expression similarly think nature motion picture industry may suggest different time limits judicial determination common knowledge films scheduled well actual exhibition requirement advance submission recognizes one possible scheme allow exhibitor distributor submit film early enough ensure orderly final disposition case scheduled exhibition date far enough advance exhibitor safely advertise opening normal basis failing scheme sufficiently early submission scheme statute require adjudication considerably prompt case maryland statute otherwise litigation might unduly expensive protracted victorious exhibitor might find propitious opportunity exhibition past mean lay rigid time limits procedures suggest considerations drafting legislation accord local exhibition practices avoid potentially chilling effect maryland statute protected expression reversed footnotes md ann code art board examine approve disapprove films board shall examine supervise examination films views exhibited used state maryland shall approve license films views moral proper shall disapprove obscene tend judgment board debase corrupt morals incite crimes films exclusively portraying current events pictorial news day commonly called news reels may exhibited without examination license fees shall required therefor films considered obscene purposes article motion picture film view shall considered obscene considered whole calculated purpose dominant effect substantially arouse sexual desires probability effect great outweigh whatever merits film may possess films tend debase corrupt morals purposes article motion picture film view shall considered character exhibition tend debase corrupt morals dominant purpose effect erotic pornographic portrays acts sexual immorality lust lewdness expressly impliedly presents acts desirable acceptable proper patterns behavior films tend incite crime purposes article motion picture film view shall considered character exhibition tend incite crime theme manner presentation presents commission criminal acts contempt law constituting profitable desirable acceptable respectable commonly accepted behavior advocates teaches use methods use narcotics drugs appellant also challenges constitutionality establishing standards invalid vagueness due process clause imposing fees inspection licensing film constituting invalid tax upon exercise freedom speech allowing exemptions various classes exhibitors denying equal protection laws view result express views upon claims see emerson doctrine prior restraint law contemp prob well illustrated fact maryland appeals reversed board disapproval every reported case artists maryland state board censors supra maryland state board censors times film md fanfare films motion picture censor board md appendix brief amici curiae american civil liberties union maryland branch lists new york virginia kansas three statutes similar maryland statute cities chicago detroit fort worth providence similar ordinances remaining municipal ordinances codes listed inactive justice douglas justice black joins concurring several occasions indicated view movies entitled degree kind protection first amendment forms expression superior films department education kingsley pictures regents times film chicago reasons stated believe form censorship matter speedy prolonged may permissible see pictorial presentation occupies preferred position form expression censors banned publishing business pulpit public platform banned theatre admit censor even limited role accorded kingsley books brown adhere dissent case authority obtain temporary injunction gives state paralyzing power censor regime kingsley books substitutes punishment contempt punishment jury trial put end forms types censorship give full literal meaning command first amendment today holds system movie censorship must contain least three procedural safeguards run afoul first amendment censor must burden instituting judicial proceedings restraint prior judicial review imposed briefly order preserve status quo prompt judicial determination obscenity must assured thus chicago censorship system upheld narrowest margins times film chicago survive today standards provided one safeguards dissenters expressly pointed