Legal Definitions - quintessential public forum

A quintessential public forum is a public place where people traditionally gather to express ideas and exchange views. Examples of quintessential public forums include public streets, sidewalks, and parks. These places have been used for public assembly and expression for a long time, without any government designation.

For the government to regulate a quintessential public forum, the regulation must be narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest. The regulation must also be limited to time, place, or manner restrictions. Any regulation based on the content of the expression must meet a much higher test of being necessary to serve a compelling state interest.

For example, a group of protesters gathering in a public park to express their views on a political issue is an example of a quintessential public forum. The government can regulate the protest by imposing reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, such as limiting the protest to certain hours or areas of the park. However, the government cannot regulate the protest based on the content of the expression, such as banning the protest because it disagrees with the protesters' views.