United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Organization for a Better Austin v. Keefe, 402 U.S. 415 (1971)

Organization for a Better Austin v. Keefe

No. 135

Argued January 20, 1971

Decided May 17, 1971

402 U.S. 415

Syllabus

Respondent real estate broker applied for and obtained from the Illinois courts an injunction enjoining petitioners from distributing any literature in the City of Westchester, on the ground that their leaflets, critical of respondent's alleged "blockbusting" and "panic peddling" activities in the Austin area of Chicago, invaded respondent's right of privacy, and were coercive and intimidating, rather than informative, thus not being entitled to First Amendment protection.

Held: Respondent has not met the heavy burden of justifying the imposition of the prior restraint of petitioners' peaceful distribution of informational literature of the nature disclosed by this record. Pp. 402 U. S. 418-420.

115 Ill.App.2d 236, 253 N.E.2d 76, reversed.

BURGER, C.J., delivered the opinion of the Court in which BLACK, DOUGLAS, BRENNAN, STEWART, WHITE, MARSHALL, and BLACKMUN, JJ., joined. HARLAN, J., filed a dissenting opinion, post, p. 402 U. S. 420.