HOW MUCH WILL A TOWN COUNCIL SPEND TO VIOLATE A CITIZEN'S FREE SPEECH? AS OF MARCH 2025> $538,000.00. 2 mins.

HOW MUCH WILL A TOWN COUNCIL SPEND TO SHOW TYRANNICAL POWER TO VIOLATE A CITIZEN'S CONSTITUTIONAL FREE SPEECH RIGHTS? AS OF MARCH 2025, $538,000 DOLLARS. TOTAL EXPENSE NOT REVEALED OR RELEASED AS OF NOVEMBER 19, 2025. RELATED INFORMATION:
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UPDATED MAR 7, 2024: City commission names legal defense counsel for Cozy Inn vs. City of Salina - In a unanimous decision, city commissioners agreed to authorize the city manager, Mike Schrage, to engage the law firm of Fairfield and Woods P.C. of Denver, Colorado as the legal defense counsel in the case of the Cozy Inn v. City of Salina.
Posted Mar 07, 2024, 10:54 AM
By SALINA POST
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THE COZY INN BURGERS WEB LINK > https://www.cozyburger.com/
108 N 7TH. SALINA, KS 67401
TEL: 785-825-2699
MON-SAT 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM, SUN 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
EMAIL: [email protected]
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COZY INN FREE SPEECH LITIGATION - FEDERAL JUDGE RULES CITY OF SALINA KS, A TOWN OF 45,000 NORTH OF WICHITA, VIOLATED A RESTURANT OWNER'S FREE SPEECH - 2 mins. KSN TV 3 WICHITA KS REPORTS - 11-19-2025. FURTHER PRESS RELEASES BELOW.
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According to a press release by the KJI, McRoberts stated "Salina’s officials don’t get to play art critic, picking and choosing which murals stay, and which go." SALINA journal 11-19-2025.
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Cozy Inn court ruling
In his ruling, Judge Crouse found:

The plaintiffs have justified their request for declaratory relief. They demonstrated that Salina imposes an unconstitutional distinction between murals and signs. Because the definition of sign is unlawful, Salina cannot make any determination as to whether a display is a mural or sign without violating the First Amendment….As a result, a declaratory judgment that Salina’s mural-sign distinction is unconstitutional on its face is appropriate.

The plaintiffs have also supported their request for a declaratory judgment finding that Salina imposed an unconstitutional prior restraint as applied to their speech. By applying that restraint, Salina has subjected the plaintiffs to a constitutional harm since it put Howard’s permit application on indefinite hold. Declaratory relief to address that harm is warranted.
MacRoberts (KJI LAWYER) concluded:

“The ruling is clear, to the point, and correct. Salina’s officials don’t get to play art critic, picking and choosing which murals stay, and which go. The right to free speech doesn’t work that way and never has. At the end of the day though, because of Steve and The Cozy, Salina’s mural-scene just got a little bit better.”
KJI PRESS RELEASE - 11 19-2025.
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LEGAL CASE AND DECISION LINK > https://kansasjusticeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/133-Order-Granting-MSJ.pdf

In the United States District Court
for the District of Kansas
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Case No. 24-cv-01027-TC
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COZY INN, INCORPORATED, ET AL.,
Plaintiffs
v.
CITY OF SALINA, KANSAS

https://kansasjusticeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/133-Order-Granting-MSJ.pdf
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POSTED HEADLINE AND RELATED ARTICLE BY THE SENTINEL PUBLICATION LINK > https://sentinelksmo.org/salina-violated-cozy-inn-first-amendment-rights/
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THE KJI (KANSAS JUSTICE INSTITUTE) ARTICLE AND WEBSITE LINK > https://kansasjusticeinstitute.org/case/salina-mural-free-speech/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOL4INleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEep530tTmmiFMXzkDzSIhE4CK8YSVTyLAg1eA_p7uw4w2SxJ0j2E11gN-hJyA_aem_ekz03TN9C5uprr8fcsHzdA
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