Kopcial v. Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

By Judge Robert p. Doherty, Jr.

Kopcial is charged with violating state law by displaying on premises, permanent, lighted, three-dimensional advertising of the brands of beer that he sells in his tavern. He argues that the signs in question are works of art and are therefore exempt from regulation. In the alternative, he claims that the statutes limiting his interior advertising are unconstitutionally vague and that they infringe upon his freedom of speech. An administrative hearing officer found that Kopcial’s use of certain neon beer signs and other items advertising beer in his bar was…