Adult Entertainment Law Put on Hold Pending Trial

A federal court judge ordered the city of Los Angeles not to enforce its adult entertainment zoning ordinance, designed to control the location of pornography stores, pending the outcome of a trial.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard A. Gadbois Jr. set a July 30 trial date for a lawsuit filed against the city by several operators of adult-entertainment businesses. “There are some serious questions raised here,” the judge said at a hearing Monday.

The businesses say the city’s zoning ordinance, which forbids adult establishments from operating within 500 feet of a residential area or within 1,000 feet of each other, is so restrictive that they cannot relocate and are forced to close, which violates their 1st Amendment rights. The city maintains that many other locations are available.