Stupid Judges... always ruining our fun.

Court Backs No-Contact Rule for Strippers

 Oddly Enough - Reuters

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A California city's regulation requiring some distance between exotic dancers and their audience during a performance is constitutional, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday.

The San Francisco-based court conceded nude and scantily dressed dancers may be impaired from exercising their rights to freedom of speech by the rule requiring at least two feet (60 cm) between them and their audience, but held it did not entirely ban the performers from conveying an "erotic message."

The court held the city of La Habra, near Los Angeles, California, crafted its regulation narrowly to deter negative "secondary effects" from adult cabaret venues, such as the exchange of drugs and money for prostitution.

The owner of a La Habra club and several of its dancers had challenged the city regulation and sought to enable dancers to get even closer to the patrons.