Winston & Strawn LLP: Further Update Re Maine Predatory Marketing Law

CHARLOTTE
CHICAGO
GENEVA
HONG KONG
LONDON
LOS ANGELES
MOSCOW
NEW YORK
NEWARK
PARIS
SAN FRANCISCO
WASHINGTON, D.C.

www.winston.com

September 2009

SPECIAL ALERT

Further Update Re Maine Predatory Marketing Law

As we reported recently, the Maine Independent Colleges Association and others filed a case in the United States District Court of Maine against the Governor of Maine and the Maine Attorney General to have the Maine Act to Prevent Predatory Marketing Practices Against Minors declared unconstitutional, arguing that it impinges upon Free Speech and the Commerce Clause, and that it is preempted by COPPA. Last week we reported that the office of the Maine Attorney General filed paperwork with the court indicating that it will not enforce the law.

Yesterday, the court entered an order dismissing the case based upon an agreement between the plaintiffs and the Maine Attorney General. In dismissing the case, the court noted that the plaintiffs had met their burden of establishing a likelihood of success on the merits of their claims that the law is overbroad and violates the First Amendment. The order states that the Attorney General represented that the Legislature will be reconsidering the statute when it reconvenes. As such, the court proclaimed that “third parties are on notice that a private cause of action under Chapter 230 could suffer from the same constitutional infirmities.” This proclamation appears to be intended to discourage consumers from filing suit under the statute before the Maine Legislature has the opportunity to reconsider the statute when it reconvenes.

If you have any questions concerning this Advertising & Promotion Law News Special Alert, please contact one of the following attorneys:

Chicago		Los Angeles		Paris
Monique N. Bhargava	312-558-3732	David L. Aronoff	213-615-1866	Nathalie Hadjadj-Cazier	33 (0) 1 53 64 81 50
Stephen P. Durchslag	312-558-5288	Steven D. Atlee	213-615-1827
Brian D. Fergemann	312-558-8024			San Francisco
Jason W. Gordon	312-558-6145	New York		David S. Bloch	415-591-1452
Brian L. Heidelberger	312-558-5897	Michael S. Elkin	212-294-6745	Andrew P. Bridges	415-591-1482
Robert H. Newman	312-558-8125	Thomas P. Lane	212-294-6869	Kimberly A. Eckhart	415-591-6805
Mary Hutchings Reed	312-558-5721	Michael J. Friedman	212-294-2608	Jennifer A. Golinveaux	415-591-1506
Ronald Y. Rothstein	312-558-7464	Joe DiBenedetto	212-294-6709
Liisa M. Thomas	312-558-6149	H. Joseph Mello	212-294-6736	Washington, D.C.
Marc H. Trachtenberg	312-558-7964	Virginia R. Richard	212-294-4639	Michael L. Sibarium	202-282-5702

These materials have been prepared by Winston & Strawn for informational purposes only. These materials do not constitute legal advice and cannot be relied upon by any taxpayer for the purpose of avoiding penalties imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. Receipt of this information does not create an attorney-client relationship. No reproduction or redistribution without written permission of Winston & Strawn LLP.

Along with this briefing, a library of all the Winston & Strawn LLP briefings published to date can be accessed by visiting the Publications Library section of Winston & Strawn LLP's Web site (www.winston.com).