City of Portland v. Welch

367 P.2d 403, 364 P.2d 1009, 229 Or. 308, 1961 Ore. LEXIS 379
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 20, 1961
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 367 P.2d 403 (City of Portland v. Welch) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Portland v. Welch, 367 P.2d 403, 364 P.2d 1009, 229 Or. 308, 1961 Ore. LEXIS 379 (Or. 1961).

Opinions

GOODWIN, J.

The proprietor of a theater appeals from a conviction of violating Art. 30, Police Code of the City of Portland, Oregon. On April 5, 1960, Mrs. Welch exhibited a motion picture without first excising therefrom two scenes ordered removed as a condition to the issuance of a license to exhibit the film.

[310]*310Mrs. Welch was convicted in the Municipal Court, and in due course appealed de novo to the circuit court. Following an adverse ruling on demurrer in the circuit court, trial by jury was waived, and judgment of conviction was entered. The issue presented in this court is whether the complaint states a crime.

Omitting formal allegations and signatures, the complaint charges:

“The above-named defendant on the 5th of April, 1960, within the corporate limits of the said City of Portland did wilfully and unlawfully show a motion-picture, to wit: The Lovers, conditionally approved by officers designated to view said motion-picture by the Chief of Police, to wit: John F. Fraser and James C. Quinn, at the Guild Theater, 821 S.W. 9th Avenue, without first making the eliminations required as a condition to such approval, to wit: the night bedroom scene after boat ride and the bathroom scene where both enter bathtub”.

Upon demurrer, we have no evidence of the nature of a particular picture. For all this court knows, or has reason to know, the picture described in the complaint could have been pure, pornographic, or neither. If exhibiting the picture was a crime under ORS 167.150 (1) (obscenity law), a prosecution might have raised the question of obscenity. State v. Jackson, 71 Adv Sh 391, 224 Or 337, 356 P2d 495. But this is not such a prosecution and our attention is directed to the ordinance rather than to the picture.

On its face, the ordinance would appear to apply to films of every kind. Provisions relevant to this case read as follows:

“ARTICLE 30. MOTION-PICTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT SUPERVISION.
“[New Article 30 added by Ordinance No. [311]*31197898 passed and effective February 13, 1953].
“Section 16-3001. APPROVAL OF FILMS, VAUDEVILLE, STAGE SHOWS AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT.
“It shall be unlawful for any person to show, exhibit, or display any motion-picture, or present any stage or floor show, vaudeville or any other form of theatrical, stage, or screen entertainment * * * unless the same shall have first been approved as provided in this article. It shall be unlawful for any person to show, exhibit, or display any motion-picture, or present any stage or floor show, vaudeville or any other form of theatrical, stage or screen entertainment conditionally approved without first making the changes or eliminations required as a condition to such approval, or to present such entertainment in violation of the conditions imposed * * *.
“Section 16-3002. STANDARDS OF APPROVAL.
“No motion-picture, stage or floor show, vaudeville or other form of theatrical, stage, or screen entertainment, shall be approved when the same, or advertising in connection therewith, is deemed to be indecent, immoral, obscene, suggestive, immodest or designed or tending to ferment religious, political, racial or social hatred or antagonism or detrimental to the public peace and welfare. Approval shall not be given to any motion-picture film, as hereinafter defined, stage or floor show, vaudeville or other form of theatrical, stage, or screen entertainment which violates the provisions of this section or any other provision of this article; particularly, no approval shall be given to any motion-picture, stage or floor show, vaudeville or other form of theatrical, stage or screen entertainment which:
“(a) By action or words is obscene, indecent or immoral;
[312]*312“(b) By action or words presents any gruesome, revolting or disgusting scenes or subjects;
“(e) Tends to disturb the public peace, or
“(d) Tends to corrupt the public morals.
“Section 16-3003. APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL.
# * * #
“Section 16-3004. VEWING [sic] AND APPROVAL OR REJECTION.
C C ^ ^ rfc “SÍ* SÍ*
“Section 16-3005. SHOWING MOTION-PICTURE WITHOUT APPROVAL.
* *
“Section 16-3006. WITHDRAWAL OF APPROVAL.
“The Chief of Police may, on his own motion, revoke any approval which may have been issued * * *. Thereafter it shall be unlawful to make exhibition thereof.
“Section 16-3007. DISCRETION AS TO VIEWING IN CERTAIN CASES.
“When the Chief of Police * * * is already familiar with a motion-picture * * * and is satisfied that the same does not violate Section 16-3002, a view may be taken or not as provided in Section 16-3004 * * #.
“Section 16-3008. VIEWERS.
“[Section 16-3008 amended by Ordinance No. 100319 passed and effective April 22, 1954].
“The Chief of Police 'hereby is authorized to appoint viewers in such number as he may deem necessary. Viewers shall serve without compensation and may be removed from office at any time at the pleasure of the Chief of Police * * *.
“Section 16-3009. APPEAL TO COUNCIL.
“Any person * * * who is dissatisfied with refusal or withdrawal of approval, disapproval, [313]*313conditions upon approval, or order requiring changes or eliminations in any motion-picture, stage or floor show, vaudeville or other entertainment, shall have the right of appeal to the City Council. Such appeal shall be taken within five days after the rendition of the decision by serving a written copy of the notice of appeal upon the Chief of Police and by filing with the City Auditor the original thereof. The Auditor shall thereupon place said appeal upon the next regular Council Calendar whereupon the Council shall hear and determine such appeal and its determination shall be final * * *.
“Section 16-3010. DEFINITION OF FILM.

The demurrer challenged the city’s complaint as failing to charge a crime. Additional issues under both the state and federal constitutions have been tendered by the defendant. She urges us to hold that both constitutions prohibit the enactment of any such ordinance. However, there is no need to consider this question. The federal question has been answered adversely to the defendant in Times Film Corp. v. City of Chicago, 365 US 43, 81 S Ct 391. We do not review provisions of the ordinance which the city has not attempted to enforce against this defendant. Huron Cement Co. v. Detroit, 362 US 440, 442 (footnote 1), 80 S Ct 813, 4 L Ed2d 852, 855; Utah Power and L. Co. v. Pfost,

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City of Portland v. Welch
367 P.2d 403 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1961)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
367 P.2d 403, 364 P.2d 1009, 229 Or. 308, 1961 Ore. LEXIS 379, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-portland-v-welch-or-1961.