Legal Opinion
Commonwealth v. Goguen
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided February 2, 1972PublishedCited by 9 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
The defendant was convicted of publicly treating contemptuously the flag of the United States in violation of G. L. c. 264, § 5. The case is before us on the defendant’s amended bill of exceptions. There was evidence that on Main Street in Leominster he was wearing a cloth American flag sewn to the seat of his blue jeans, and that certain bystanders were amused. We reject his claim that the statute is on its face or as applied to him a restraint upon the right of freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Halter v. Nebraska, 205 U. S. 34, 41.…
2Cases cited21 opinions
- United States v. O'BrienSupreme Court of the United States · 1968
- Roth v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1957
- Chaplinsky v. New HampshireSupreme Court of the United States · 1942
- Cohen v. CaliforniaSupreme Court of the United States · 1971
- Smith v. CaliforniaSupreme Court of the United States · 1960
16 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by9 opinions
- Smith v. GoguenSupreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Delorme v. StateCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas · 1973
- Valarie Goguen v. Joseph Smith, Sheriff of Worcester CountyCourt of Appeals for the First Circuit · 1972
- Johnson v. StateCourt of Criminal Appeals of Texas · 1988
- Goguen v. SmithDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts · 1972
4 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.