Church Takes Fight on Arizona Town's Sign Law to High Court

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Phoenix suburb is defending its regulation of signs in public areas from a Supreme Court challenge by a small church that is complaining of limits on how it can advertise its Sunday morning services.

The justices are hearing arguments on Monday in a case from Gilbert, Arizona, that raises First Amendment questions about how governments may regulate their citizens' speech. The Good News Community Church and Pastor Clyde Reed sued Gilbert, claiming that religious groups face stricter rules than politicians, real estate agents and homeowners' associations.

Gilbert allows so-called directional signs, like the ones put up by the church inviting people to Sunday services, to be no larger than 6 square feet. Signs for political candidates can be up to 32 square feet.

(Story by: Mark Sherman, The Associated Press)