There is No First Amendment Overbreadth (But There are Vague First Amendment Doctrines); Prior Restraints Aren’t ‘Prior’; and ‘As Applied’ Challenges Seek Judicial Statutory Amendments

Constitutional Commentary, Forthcoming

San Diego Legal Studies Paper No. 11-048

19 Pages Posted: 27 Jan 2011

See all articles by Larry Alexander

Larry Alexander

University of San Diego School of Law

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: January 26, 2011

Abstract

In this short paper I argue that there are no overbroad statutes, and that the worry about overbreadth is really a worry about the vagueness of some First Amendment doctrines. I further argue that there is nothing “prior” about prior restraints; the temporal worry about injunctions is due to the judicially-created collateral bar doctrine, and the temporal worry about licensing schemes is that of the delay occasioned by the license requirement. Finally, I argue that “as applied” constitutional analysis is an exercise in judicial statutory amendment. I conclude with an Appendix discussing two recent prominent articles that are inconsistent with some of my arguments.

Keywords: First Amendment, Overbreadth, Vagueness, Prior Restraint, As Applied, Facial

JEL Classification: K10, K39

Suggested Citation

Alexander, Lawrence, There is No First Amendment Overbreadth (But There are Vague First Amendment Doctrines); Prior Restraints Aren’t ‘Prior’; and ‘As Applied’ Challenges Seek Judicial Statutory Amendments (January 26, 2011). Constitutional Commentary, Forthcoming, San Diego Legal Studies Paper No. 11-048, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1748849

Lawrence Alexander (Contact Author)

University of San Diego School of Law ( email )

5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
United States
619-260-2317 (Phone)
619-260-4728 (Fax)

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
121
Abstract Views
1,290
Rank
214,809
PlumX Metrics