State v. Hutchinson

699 P.2d 402, 145 Ariz. 27, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 484
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedApril 25, 1985
DocketNo. 1 CA-CR 7315
StatusPublished

This text of 699 P.2d 402 (State v. Hutchinson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Hutchinson, 699 P.2d 402, 145 Ariz. 27, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 484 (Ark. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION

JACOBSON, Chief Judge.

Appellee, Wallace J. Hutchinson, the owner and operator of the Silver Queen Motel in Kingman, Arizona, was charged and convicted of violating A.R.S. § 44-1503(A), which requires that operators of motels who maintain outdoor advertising signs that advertise rates, must set forth “both the minimum and maximum room or other rental unit rate for accommodations offered for rental.” 1 The sole issue on [29]*29appeal is the constitutionality of this statute.

In December, 1982, Hutchinson posted an outdoor advertising sign in front of his motel which read:

$14—Single
Free HBO—Phones
U-Haul Parking

He was subsequently charged, under two criminal complaints, in Kingman Municipal Court with violating A.R.S. § 44-1503. He was found guilty on both counts and fined a total of $205.50. Hutchinson then appealed these municipal court convictions to the Mohave County Superior Court and in that court moved to dismiss the criminal charges on the grounds that A.R.S. § 44-1503 was unconstitutional as a violation of Hutchinson’s First Amendment right of freedom of speech.

Based upon a factual record which consisted of the stipulation that Hutchinson rented rooms for $14.00 and that he also rented rooms for more than $14.00 “to groups”, the trial court found A.R.S. § 44-1503 was both unconstitutional on its face and that it was also unconstitutional as applied to Hutchinson.2 The state has appealed.

Before analyzing the constitutional ramifications of the statute in question, it is important to define what the. statute attempts to regulate. First, “speech” as such is not prohibited. This statute does not prohibit motel owners from advertising. It does, however, regulate what form the advertising may take and makes a violation of that form a criminal offense.

With these limitations in mind, we turn to whether that regulation is constitutionally permissible. Both parties agree that the “speech” in question is commercial in nature. Further, all parties agree that “commercial speech” is afforded first amendment protection. Bigelow v. Virginia, 421 U.S. 809, 95 S.Ct. 2222, 44 L.Ed.2d 600 (1975). They differ, however, on the test to be applied in determining the extent to which that protection applies.

The state argues that if the commercial message “is potentially misleading” no first amendment protection is afforded and the manner of advertising may be regulated. Hutchinson, on the other hand, contends that if the speech is concerning a lawful activity, and is not misleading, then such speech is constitutionally protected and additional analysis must be undertaken to determine whether that speech can be regulated.

We begin our analysis with the observation that prior to Bigelow v. Virginia, supra, “commercial speech”, that is, speech which proposes a commercial transaction, was generally not thought to be subject to first amendment freedom of speech protection. See Valentine v. Chrestensen, 316 U.S. 52, 62 S.Ct. 920, 86 L.Ed. 1262 (1942). While Bigelow makes it clear that commercial speech is afforded first amendment protection, subsequent United States Supreme Court decisions have made it equally clear that commercial speech is not afforded the full panoply of first amendment protection as is accorded non-commercial speech. As was stated in Friedman v. Rogers, 440 U.S. 1, 99 S.Ct. 887, 59 L.Ed.2d 100 (1979):

Regarding the permissible extent of commercial speech regulations, the court observed in Virginia Pharmacy [Virginia Pharmacy Board v. Virginia Citi[30]*30zens’ Consumer Council, 425 U.S. 748, 96 S.Ct. 1817, 48 L.Ed.2d 346 (1976)] that certain features of commercial speech differentiate it from other varieties of speech in ways that suggest that ‘a different degree of protection is necessary to insure that the flow of truthful and legitimate commercial information is unimpaired’ [citation omitted]. Because it relates to a particular product or service, commercial speech is more objective, hence more verifiable, than other varieties of speech. Commercial speech, because of its importance to business profits, and because it is carefully calculated, is also less likely than other forms of speech to be inhibited by proper regulation. These attributes, the court concluded, indicate that it is ‘appropriate to require that a commercial message appear in such a form ... as [is] necessary to prevent its being deceptive____ They may also make inapplicable the prohibition against prior restraints.’ [citation omitted].

440 U.S. at 16, 99 S.Ct. at 897

Thus, the state is correct in its assertion that the state may regulate (in an appropriate fashion) commercial speech which is in fact deceptive. In this case the state asks the court to presume that advertising only one rate for a motel room is deceptive or potentially deceptive. In doing so, the state relies upon Adams v. Miami Beach Hotel Association, 77 So.2d 465 (Fla.1955):

The object of said act was to require hotels, motels, and other rooming house operators to tell the whole story when they exercise the privilege of advertising their rooms. It is a matter of common knowledge that travelers are often confronted with a sign proposing comfortable lodging at very modest prices, say $2.50 to $4.00 per night. He pulls up to such a place and finds that all rooms at the advertised price are taken and that the only available lodging is two or three times the price advertised. It can be easily seen that the underlying purpose of the act is to break up this species of disception.

77 So.2d at 466.

In our opinion, the rationale of Adams does establish the foundation for a state interest—the prevention of deceptive advertising and thus subject to regulation as contended by the state. Does this then end our inquiry for constitutional purposes, that is, if the potential for a deception is present, does first amendment protection cease? We believe not. As stated in Re. R.M.J., 455 U.S. 191, 102 S.Ct. 929, 71 L.Ed.2d 64 (1982):

Although the potential for deception and confusion is particularly strong in the context of advertising professional services, restrictions upon such advertising may be no broader than reasonably necessary to prevent the deception.
455 U.S. at 203, 102 S.Ct. at 937

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Related

Valentine v. Chrestensen
316 U.S. 52 (Supreme Court, 1942)
Bigelow v. Virginia
421 U.S. 809 (Supreme Court, 1975)
Friedman v. Rogers
440 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court, 1979)
In Re RMJ
455 U.S. 191 (Supreme Court, 1982)
Bolger v. Youngs Drug Products Corp.
463 U.S. 60 (Supreme Court, 1983)
Mardian Construction Co. v. Superior Court
557 P.2d 526 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1976)
Adams v. Miami Beach Hotel Association
77 So. 2d 465 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1955)
In re R. M. J.
455 U.S. 191 (Supreme Court, 1982)

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Bluebook (online)
699 P.2d 402, 145 Ariz. 27, 1985 Ariz. App. LEXIS 484, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-hutchinson-arizctapp-1985.