gooding wilson argued december decided march georgia statute providing ny person shall without provocation use another presence opprobrious words abusive language tending cause breach peace shall guilty misdemeanor narrowed georgia courts apply fighting words utterance tend incite immediate breach peace chaplinsky new hampshire face unconstitutionally vague overbroad first fourteenth amendments pp affirmed brennan delivered opinion douglas stewart white marshall joined burger filed dissenting opinion post blackmun filed dissenting opinion burger joined post powell rehnquist took part consideration decision case courtney wilder stanton assistant attorney general georgia argued cause appellant brief arthur bolton attorney general harold hill executive assistant attorney general dorothy beasley assistant attorney general franklin pierce elizabeth rindskopf argued cause appellee brief howard moore peter rindskopf justice brennan delivered opinion appellee convicted superior fulton county georgia two counts using opprobrious words abusive language violation georgia code ann provides person shall without provocation use another presence opprobrious words abusive language tending cause breach peace shall guilty misdemeanor appellee appealed conviction georgia ground among others statute violated first fourteenth amendments vague overbroad georgia rejected contention sustained conviction wilson state appellee sought federal habeas corpus relief district northern district georgia district found appellee failed exhaust available state remedies grounds relied upon attacking conviction contention facially unconstitutional ripe decision supp merits question district disagreement georgia held face unconstitutionally vague broad set aside appellee conviction appeals fifth circuit affirmed noted probable jurisdiction state appeal affirm section punishes spoken words therefore withstand appellee attack upon facial constitutionality authoritatively construed georgia courts susceptible application speech although vulgar offensive protected first fourteenth amendments cohen california terminiello chicago georgia courts supply requisite construction since course lack jurisdiction authoritatively construe state legislation photographs matters words appellee used might constitutionally prohibited narrowly precisely drawn statute least statutes regulate proscribe speech readily apparent construction suggests vehicle rehabilitating statutes single prosecution dombrowski pfister 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 see also baggett bullitt coates city cincinnati white dissenting raines naacp button deemed necessary persons whose expression constitutionally protected may well refrain exercising rights fear criminal sanctions provided statute susceptible application protected expression although statute may neither vague overbroad otherwise invalid applied conduct charged particular defendant permitted raise vagueness unconstitutional overbreadth applied others law found deficient one respects may applied either unless satisfactory limiting construction placed statute statute effect stricken face result deemed justified since otherwise continued existence statute unnarrowed form tend suppress constitutionally protected rights coates city cincinnati supra opinion white citation omitted appellant challenge principles contends georgia statute narrowly drawn apply constitutionally unprotected class words fighting words utterance inflict injury tend incite immediate breach peace chaplinsky new hampshire supra chaplinsky sustained conviction chapter public laws new hampshire provided person shall address offensive derisive annoying word person lawfully street public place call offensive derisive name chaplinsky convicted addressing another public sidewalk words god damned racketeer damned fascist whole government rochester fascists agents fascists chaplinsky challenged constitutionality statute inhibiting freedom expression vague indefinite new hampshire however long words chaplinsky convicted sharply limited statutory language offensive derisive annoying word fighting words words forbidden except direct tendency cause acts violence person individually remark addressed test men common intelligence understand words likely cause average addressee fight derisive annoying words taken coming within purview statute characteristic plainly tending excite addressee breach peace statute construed prohibit words plainly likely cause breach peace addressee appellant argues georgia appellate courts construction limited proscription fighting words new hampshire limited new hampshire statute consideration georgia cases construing elements offense makes clear opprobrious words abusive language thereby prohibited matter common knowledge ordinary circumstances used another person presence naturally tend provoke violent resentment statute attack simply statutory language previously denominated fighting words brief appellant neither district appeals read georgia decisions contrary district expressly stated thus decisions brought attention meaningful attempt made limit properly define terms district judge one member unanimous appeals panel georgia practitioners ascended bench views georgia law necessarily persuasive us wright law federal courts pp ed however made examination georgia cases cited others discovered research examination brings us conclusion agreement courts georgia appellate decisions construed limited application chaplinsky words direct tendency cause acts violence person individually remark addressed dictionary definitions opprobrious abusive give greater reach fighting words webster third new international dictionary defined opprobrious conveying intended convey disgrace abusive including harsh insulting language georgia appellate decisions construed apply utterances although within definitions fighting words chaplinsky defines lyons state app conviction statute sustained awakening women scout leaders shouting boys going spend night get bed rolls let see close come tents fish state georgia held jury question presented remark swore lie jackson state app held jury question presented words addressed another god damn get road plainly although conveying disgrace harsh insulting language words utterance tend incite immediate breach peace chaplinsky new hampshire supra georgia appellate decisions construing reach tending cause breach peace underscore limited appellant argues words naturally tend provoke violent resentment lyons state supra fish state supra jackson state supra indeed georgia appeals elmore state app construed tending cause breach peace mere words description indicating kind character opprobrious abusive language penalized use language character violation statute even though addressed one account circumstances virtue obligations office actually resent breach peace suppose one safe distance hearing person spoke addressed language one locked prison cell opposite bank impassable torrent hence without power respond immediately verbal insults physical retaliation reasonably contended breach peace follow statute violated hough account circumstances obligations imposed office one may able time assault beat another account language might still tend cause breach peace future time person addressed might longer hampered physical inability present conditions official position ga term breach peace generic includes violations public peace order decorum words signifies offense disturbing public peace tranquility enjoyed citizens community peace used connection meant tranquility enjoyed citizens municipality community good order reigns among members accordingly agree district decisions ashton kentucky cox louisiana compel conclusion construed define standard responsibility requisite narrow specificity ashton held make offense conduct calculated create disturbances peace leaves wide open standard responsibility cox louisiana statute struck included element congregating others intent provoke breach peace circumstances breach peace may occasioned thereby district observed construed georgia courts especially instant case georgia provision breach peace even broader louisiana statute conclude separation legitimate illegitimate speech calls sensitive tools georgia supplied speiser randall recent decision georgia wilson state supra rejecting appellee attack constitutionality stated statute conveys definite meaning conduct forbidden measured common understanding practice earlier appellate decisions applied utterances likelihood person addressed make immediate violent response clear standard allowing juries determine guilt measured common understanding practice limit application fighting words defined chaplinsky rather broad standard effectively licenses jury create standard case herndon lowry accordingly agree conclusion district fault statute leaves wide open standard responsibility easily susceptible improper application unlike construction new hampshire statute new hampshire georgia appellate courts construed avoid constitutional difficulties photographs affirmed footnotes defendant one group persons august picketed building corps headquarters army located carrying signs opposing war viet nam inductees arrived building persons began block door inductees enter requested police officers move door refused officers attempted remove door scuffle ensued ample evidence show defendant committed assault battery two police officers named indictment also sufficient evidence use opprobrious abusive words charged jury authorized find circumstances shown evidence words spoken without sufficient provocation tended cause breach peace count indictment alleged accused without provocation use redding presence following abusive language opprobrious words tending cause breach peace white son bitch kill son bitch choke death count alleged defendant without provocation use raborn presence following abusive language opprobrious words tending cause breach peace son bitch ever put hands cut pieces judge sidney smith gainesville georgia district judge judge lewis morgan newnan georgia member appeals panel sat district judge georgia appointment appeals informed oral argument appeals georgia statewide jurisdiction decisions binding upon trial courts absence conflicting decision georgia federal courts therefore follow holdings georgia law fidelity union trust field bernhardt polygraphic america dissents question reliance upon georgia cases decided years ago fish state jackson state app cited georgia wilson state support holding thus fish jackson remain authoritative interpretations state highest chief justice burger dissenting fully join justice blackmun dissent bizarre result reached merely odd nothing less remarkable find state statute void face language traditional test way courts state applied statute isolated cases decided long ago generally long decision chaplinsky new hampshire even cases decided yesterday nothing demonstrate narrow language georgia statute significant potential sweeping application suppress deter important protected speech part decision appears stem assumption statute regarded light vague clause without regard language thus since statute contains words tending cause breach peace finds result compelled decisions ashton kentucky cox louisiana statute bar however prohibit language tending cause breach peace prohibit use opprobrious words abusive language without rather prohibits use another presence opprobrious words abusive language tending cause breach peace words bear common meaning considered context rather dissected surgical precision using semantic scalpel statute little potential application outside realm fighting words held beyond protection first amendment chaplinsky indeed language used chaplinsky describe words properly subject regulation bears striking resemblance georgia statute enacted many many years chaplinsky decided see early georgia cases cited majority establish proposition statute language clearly indicates aimed preventing precisely type personal abusive insulting language likely provoke violent retaliation euphemistically call chaplinsky case recognized validly prohibited facts case demonstrate georgia statute serving valid entirely proper purpose persuasive reason wipe statute books unless want encourage victims verbal assaults seek private redress apparently acknowledges conduct defendant case protected first amendment contend georgia statute ambiguous fair notice conduct prohibited deny normal principles constitutional adjudication appellee permitted attack conviction ground statute question might hypothetical situation unconstitutionally applied conduct party raines brennan instead relies certain sweeping language contained opinions proposition without regard nature appellee conduct statute question must invalidated face unless susceptible application speech protected first fourteenth amendments expansive statement technique invalidating state statutes face substantial overbreadth finds little policy actual circumstances past decisions commend recognizes first amendment overbreadth doctrine serves legitimate purpose allow invalidate statutes language demonstrates potential sweeping improper applications posing significant likelihood deterring important first amendment speech insubstantial imagined potential occasional isolated applications go beyond constitutional bounds writing related context justice black last term evidenced proper regard normal principles adjudication observed procedures testing constitutionality statute face enjoining action enforce statute state obtain approval modified version fundamentally odds function federal courts constitutional plan power duty judiciary declare laws unconstitutional final analysis derived responsibility resolving concrete disputes brought courts decision statute apparently governing dispute applied judges application statute conflict constitution marbury madison cranch vital responsibility broad amount unlimited power survey statute books pass judgment laws courts called upon enforce task analyzing proposed statute pinpointing deficiencies requiring correction deficiencies statute put effect rarely ever appropriate task judiciary younger harris consistent properly restrained approach overbreadth decisions including relied majority invalidated state statutes face potential sweeping improper application important areas first amendment concern far apparent language statute subject matter coverage case indeed many leading cases statute improper sweep deterrent potential amply documented facts case cox louisiana heavily relied majority example involved breach peace conviction leader black students basis participation peaceful demonstration protesting racial discrimination speech urging sit segregated lunch counters although held alternative statutory prohibition congregating others public sidewalk intent provoke breach peace circumstances breach peace may occasioned thereby unconstitutionally vague overbroad clear primary holding statute unconstitutionally applied appellant conduct revealed record see contrast today opinion mentions facts instant case way passing cox opinion contained careful recital examination facts involved took care observe record evidence fighting words see chaplinsky new hampshire clear therefore cox language statute facts case involving protected political speech concerning burning issue great social concern cogent persuasive evidence statute potential sweeping improper applications way contrast nothing language georgia statute even isolated ancient georgia decisions relied today indicates statute involved case ever applied suppress speech even remotely comparable involved cox need consider decisions relied majority reach result detail suffice say cases ashton kentucky baggett bullitt naacp button dombrowski pfister arose factual situations involved statutory language objectives far different instant case terms actual apparent danger free expression relevance case hand best strained remote makes mechanical suggest insensitive application overbreadth doctrine today justice blackmun correctly points difficult imagine state enact statute clearly narrowly aimed regulating type conduct unanimous holding chaplinsky tells us may regulated regrettable one consequence holding may mislead citizens believe fighting words kind may uttered free legal sanctions even assuming statute face impermissibly overbroad satisfactorily explain must invalidated entirety sure notes lack jurisdiction authoritatively construe state legislation cryptic statement hardly resolves matter state georgia argues statute applies fighting words chaplinsky holds may prohibited apparently agrees statute valid limited assume georgia courts georgia prosecutors police ignore decision sustaining appellee conviction narrowly explicit premise statute may validly applied fighting words defined chaplinsky see generally note first amendment overbreadth doctrine harv rev nn clear line defining area constitutional application available fact authoritatively construe state statute excise unconstitutional applications make us less reluctant strike face especially relying old georgia cases bolster conclusion virtually concedes plain language offend first amendment justice blackmun chief justice joins dissenting seems strange indeed day man may say police officer attempting restore access public building white son bitch kill son bitch choke death say accompanying officer son bitch ever put hands cut pieces yet constitutionally prosecuted convicted state statute makes misdemeanor use another presence opprobrious words abusive language tending cause breach peace however precisely pronounces law today georgia conviction appealed unanimously held way wilson state surely adult read exclude category reasonably expect conclusion words georgia code clear also concise view overbroad incapable understood except perhaps big word opprobrious point made bigness georgia schoolboy expect defendant fighting provocative words officers covered common sense permits conclusion demonstrated fact appellee attack statute applies appellee conceivably might apply others might utter words reaches result saying georgia statute interpreted state courts applicable practice otherwise constitutionally protected speech follows says statute overbroad therefore facially unconstitutional struck entirety thus georgia apparently left valid statute books meet wilson bullying tactic result achieved indeed strict construction totally incomprehensible state georgia courts citizens justify conclusion unearthing decision fish state georgia two intermediate appellate cases years old jackson state app elmore state app broadly applying statute less permissive days additional reference georgia intermediate appellate decision lyons state app first georgia case surely support today decision another intermediate appellate decision samuels state app relating another statute appears developed overbreadth rationale years since early georgia cases state statute therefore condemned state courts opportunity adjust modern theories overbreadth wonder voided georgia seeks proscribe says still may constitutionally proscribe natural thing enact new statute reading reads presumably overbroad unless legislature add words effect means says may mean see criminal code georgia join placing weight upon fact judge smith district georgia practitioner judge morgan appeals also practiced state georgia federal judges bound straitjacket overbreadth approach judge smith personal attitude clear said see policy reasons upholding right person use type language expressed petitioner strains concept freedom speech proportion argued language protected supp nd chaplinsky new hampshire good law decided deserves remain good law unanimous including among members chief justice stone justices black reed douglas murphy obviously thought good law feel decisions one indeed cohen california despite protestations contrary merely paying lip service chaplinsky appellee brief although doubt state punish fighting words appears left decision chaplinsky overbreadth doctrine means produces urgently needs painted corner extricate difficulty