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What are the legal implications of the PACKER CORPORATION v. STATE OF UTAH Supreme Court case regarding the separation of church and state in Utah?

The Packer Corporation v.

State of Utah case was decided on February 23, 1932, upholding a Utah statute that forbade the advertising of cigarettes and other tobacco products on billboards, street car signs, and placards.

The case originated from the Utah State Trial Court, where The Packer Corporation, a Delaware corporation engaged in billboard advertising, was prosecuted for displaying a large poster advertising Chesterfield cigarettes on one of its billboards located in Salt Lake City.

The Supreme Court affirmed the ruling of the lower court in an 8-0 decision, demonstrating the unanimous support for the Utah statute among the justices.

The Packer Corporation was represented by multiple attorneys, including Messrs.

Gardner Abbott, W.

H.

Reeder, Jr., Dan B.

Shields, and W.T.

Kinder.

The Supreme Court case file number is 285 U.S.

105, making it easily accessible on various legal research platforms such as Justia, Leagle, and Wikisource.

The opinion was written by Justice Louis Brandeis, a prominent justice who played a significant role in shaping the Court's decisions during the early 20th century.

The case can be found on the Library of Congress website, providing access to the full text of the court's opinion for researchers and legal scholars.

The Utah statute in question, Section 2 of c.

145 Laws of Utah 1921, as amended by c.

52 2 Laws of 1923 and c.

92 Laws of 1929, prohibited the display of cigarette advertisements on billboards, street car signs, and placards.

The State of Utah argued that the ban on cigarette advertisements was necessary to protect public health and morals, demonstrating the state's concern for the well-being of its citizens.

The Packer Corporation argued that the Utah statute violated their freedom of speech under the First Amendment, highlighting the tension between individual rights and state regulations.

The Court's decision has been cited in numerous subsequent cases, including General Railway Signal Co.

v.

Virginia Ex Rel.

State Corporation Comm'n, 246 U.S.

500 (1918), demonstrating its significance in shaping American legal history.

The Packer Corporation v.

State of Utah case illustrates the ongoing debate between individual liberties and government regulations, highlighting the complexities of balancing competing interests in a democratic society.

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