Mogadore v. Coe

93 Ohio Law. Abs. 449
CourtSummit County Court of Common Pleas
DecidedJuly 1, 1962
DocketNo. 241543
StatusPublished

This text of 93 Ohio Law. Abs. 449 (Mogadore v. Coe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Summit County Court of Common Pleas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mogadore v. Coe, 93 Ohio Law. Abs. 449 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1962).

Opinion

Lombardi, J.

The defendants in the Mayor’s Court below are the appellants and in this Opinion will be referred to as defendants, and the City of Mogadore, being the appellee, will be referred to as the plaintiff herein.

The defendants were found guilty of violating Ordinance Number 17-1962 of the Village of Mogadore on August 27, 1963, and fined the sum of $5.00 and costs each.

The defendants are appealing said conviction and set forth seven assignments of error, which are as follows:

1. Said court erred in overruling the motion for dismissal presented on behalf of the defendants in said trial.

2. The court erred in failing to find said ordinance, No. 17-1962, was unconstitutional and void in that it is in direct violation of the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution in that it creates a burden on interstate commerce and in that it is in direct violation of the Freedom of Press as it is guaranteed in said United States Constitution.

3. The court erred in failing to find said ordinance unconstitutional and void as being in conflict with and in violation of the Ohio Constitution, Article XVIII, Section 3.

4. The court erred in not finding the defendants exempt from the municipal licensing ordinance. Ordinance No. 17-1962 by virtue of Sections 715.63 and 715.64, Revised Code.

5. The court erred in not finding the Ordinance to be in[451]*451valid by reason of tbe indefiniteness, uncertainty and ambiguous wording.

6. The court erred in finding the defendants guilty whereas it should have found the defendants not guilty.

7. The court erred in overruling the defendant’s motion for a new trial.

It is the court’s opinion that the real basis of the appeal in this case is founded on assignments of error on behalf of the defendants as set forth in Specifications 2, 3 and 4, and the court will consider said specifications in that order.

Defendants claim that the ordinance in question was unconstitutional and void in that it violated the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution and is a burden on interstate commerce and in violation of the freedom of press under the United States Constitution.

The ordinance in question is as follows:

“WHEREAS, residents of the Village of Mogadore are frequently inconvenienced with being called from their duties by persons soliciting orders for or selling goods, wares, merchandise or services, thereby requiring substantial time to ascertain the purpose of such intrusion, engage in controversy whether such resident should order, purchase or use such unwanted goods, wares, merchandise or services, and more time to get rid of such intruder, and
“Whereas, such unwanted call at the door, by day or by night, by such persons who frequently are discourteous or undesirable and, whether so or not, such act constitutes an invasion to the privacy and quiet of such residents, and
“Whereas, female or minor residents alone in the home may be subject to many contingencies by permitting such unidentified persons into the home,
“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF MOGADORE, PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES, OHIO:
“Section 1: Whoever enters upon the premises of any residence in the Village of Mogadore for the purpose of soliciting orders for, or selling goods, wares, merchandise, or services of any kind or character, unless such person shall have first obtained an identification card as hereinafter provided, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall [452]*452be fined not more than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) for each such offense.
“Section 2:
“A. Whoever desires the issuance of an identification card required by Section 1 hereof, shall file with the Clerk of the Village, a written application on a form to be provided, correctly containing the following information.
“1. Full name of applicant.
“2. Address.
“3. Birthdate, height, weight, color of eyes and hair.
“4. If applicant uses motor vehicle; the make, model, year and current registration number thereof.
“5. State of issuance of driver’s license and number thereof.
“6. Name and address of employer.
“7. Brief description of goods, wares, merchandise or services involved.
“8. Whether applicant has ever been convicted of any crime, and, if so, the nature thereof and penalties therefor.
“B. Concurrent therewith, applicant shall pay a fee of Five Dollars ($5.00) to compensate for the costs incident to the issuance thereof.
“C. Upon compliance with the foregoing such identification card shall forthwith be issued to applicant which shall be valid for a period of one (1) year from the date of issuance.
“Section 3.”
“A. Should any subsequent investigation disclose that applicant has falsified any information required in his application which was the basis upon which such identification card was so issued the Clerk of the Village shall forthwith revoke such identification card and notify the holder thereof, either in person or by certified mail of such action so taken.
“B. Any person whose identification card is so revoked may, within ten (10) days after receipt of revocation notice, appeal to Council by filing with the Clerk of Council a signed written statement briefly setting forth his ground of appeal; give appellant due notice thereof by certified mail; appellant may appear before Council in person or by attorney; decision of Council thereof shall be final.
“Section 4: This ordinance was passed pursuant to Sec[453]*453tions 731.17 and 731.30, Revised Code, and is declared to be an emergency ordinance necessary for tbe immediate preservation of the public peace and safety and for tbe further reason tbat regulation of persons for tbe purposes herein provided is urgently required to promote tbe public safety, convenience and general welfare wherefore this Ordinance shall take effect upon its adoption and approval by tbe Mayor.”

By reading tbe ordinance it becomes manifest tbat it does not discriminate against interstate business and does not so burden or impede interstate commerce as to violate tbe Commerce Clause of tbe Federal Constitution and, therefore, is a valid local regulation of bouse-to-bouse solicitation of subscriptions.

Tbe ordinance does not abridge tbe freedom of speech and press as guaranteed by tbe First and Fourteenth Amendments of tbe Constitution of tbe United States, because tbe ordinance is reasonable and does not place an undue burden upon methods of distribution and circulation of magazines and periodicals.

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Bluebook (online)
93 Ohio Law. Abs. 449, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mogadore-v-coe-ohctcomplsummit-1962.