ACLU Student Chapter—University of Maryland, College Park v. Mote

321 F. Supp. 2d 670, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11013, 2004 WL 1338112
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maryland
DecidedJune 15, 2004
DocketCIV.A.RWT 03-636
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 321 F. Supp. 2d 670 (ACLU Student Chapter—University of Maryland, College Park v. Mote) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
ACLU Student Chapter—University of Maryland, College Park v. Mote, 321 F. Supp. 2d 670, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11013, 2004 WL 1338112 (D. Md. 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

TITUS, District Judge.

On March 6, 2003 the ACLU Student Chapter — University of Maryland, College Park (“ACLU — UMCP”), and two students at the University of Maryland College Park (“University” or “College Park”) sought a declaration from this Court that the University’s policy concerning speech on the College Park campus is unconstitutional as a violation of the First Amendment and an injunction enjoining Defendant from restricting speech in public places on the campus. The present matter comes before the Court on the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment.

I. Background

The State of Maryland has established a system of higher education “[i]n order to foster the development of a consolidated system of public higher education, to improve the quality of education, to extend its benefits and to encourage the economical use of the State’s resources.” See MD. CODE ANN. [EDUC.] §§ 12-101 (2001). College Park is the “flagship” institution of the system. Prior to 2001, the only persons permitted to engage in public speaking on the College Park campus were students, faculty or staff, or other persons within the University community. In 2001, the University chose to open its doors to outsiders (persons not affiliated with the University) who wish to engage in public speech. The University adopted regulations on public speech on the College Park campus that support the right of University community members to “demonstrate and leaflet, provided such activities do not disrupt normal activities or infringe upon the rights of others.” See UM Guidelines on Demonstrations and Leafleting, General Provisions, ¶ 1. However, “persons who are not members of the University student body, faculty or staff may participate only upon the invitation of *673 a bona fide student, faculty or staff member engaged in such activity,” except as authorized by the University of Maryland Procedures for the Use of Physical Facilities, VI-4.KXA), § II.

University of Maryland Procedures for the Use of Physical Facilities limit the public speech of outsiders who are not sponsored by a University community member to the “Nyumburu Amphitheater stage,” and prohibit any distribution of literature on the part of unsponsored outsiders except in “designated sidewalk space outside the Stamp Student Union buüding.” VI-4.10, §§ II.C.l, 3-4.

Any University affiliated group that wishes to use any fatility on the College Park campus for the purposes of a planned demonstration must reserve the requested fadlity at least one business day in advance. See UM Guidelines on Demonstrations and Leafleting, Special Guidelines For Scheduled Demonstrations, ¶ 1. An unscheduled demonstration or rally by University organizations, University students or University employees is permitted as long as it does not interfere with any other functions occurring at that facility. See id. at Special Guidelines For Unscheduled Demonstrations ¶ 2. Outsiders, however, are specifically required to make reservations for any use of campus facilities “up to five (5) working days in advance of the date of anticipated use,” and “[p]ri-ority will be given to University departments, registered student organizations, students, faculty and staff.” See VI-4.10(A), § II.C.2.

Defendant C.D. Mote, Jr. (“Mote”), the President of the University, is responsible for the conduct of the University, and approved and issued the regulations on public speaking. Plaintiffs sued Mote in both his individual and official capacity. The Plaintiffs in the March 6, 2003, Complaint were the ACLU-UMCP, Daniel M. Sinclair (“Sinclair”) and Rebecca J. Sheppard (“Sheppard”). Sheppard and Sinclair, who are University students, claimed that they were unable to hear a variety of viewpoints on the College Park campus, because the University’s policies restrict outsider speech to areas of the campus where Sheppard and Sinclair do not have classes or other activities.

On July 29, 2003, Mote filed a motion for summary judgment, asserting that the Plaintiffs in the March 6 Complaint lacked standing because they failed to demonstrate an injury to themselves apart from their allegation that they wished to hear more outside viewpoints and believed they were not able to do so. In response to Mote’s motion for summary judgment, the Plaintiffs moved on September 12, 2003, for leave to amend their complaint to include additional plaintiffs who were members of the public and whose speech was directly restricted by the University policy.

On October 3, 2003, the Court denied Mote’s motion for summary judgment and granted Plaintiffs’ motion for leave to amend their complaint. The Amended Complaint dropped Sheppard as a Plaintiff, but added Matthew Fogg (“Fogg”) and Michael Reeves (“Reeves”), two outsiders who allege that the University policy directly restricted and continues to restrict their First Amendment rights. In the October 3 Order, the Court noted that “[i]f a standing issue is again raised, the court will decide whether that issue must be resolved separate from any merits issue.”

Both parties have now filed motions for summary judgment. The Plaintiffs argue that the undisputed facts show that the University policy on outsider speech is an unconstitutional restriction on free speech. Mote argues that (1) the Plaintiffs in the Amended Complaint cannot prove any in *674 jury and thus have no standing and (2) the University’s policy restricting outsider speech is constitutional because it is both viewpoint neutral and reasonable.

II. Summary Judgment Standard

Under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, a party is entitled to a summary judgment if there exists no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the mov-ant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. FED. R. CIV. PRO. 56(c). Where, as here, both parties have moved for summary judgment, the Court “must consider each party’s motion individually to determine if that party has satisfied the summary judgment standard.” Lucas v. Curran, 856 F.Supp. 260, 264 (D.Md.1994). The burden of persuasion rests on the moving party. Id. Although all references should be drawn in favor of the non-moving party, the non-moving party “must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Fed. R. Civ. Peo. 56(e); Lucas, 856 F.Supp. at 265.

III. Standing

“ ‘Article III of the United States Constitution limits federal courts to resolving actual cases and controversies.’ ” Burke v. City of Charleston, 139 F.3d 401, 404 (4th Cir.1998) (quoting Finlator v. Powers, 902 F.2d 1158, 1160 (4th Cir.1990)).

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321 F. Supp. 2d 670, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11013, 2004 WL 1338112, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/aclu-student-chapteruniversity-of-maryland-college-park-v-mote-mdd-2004.