Connecticut Law Firm Threatens Suit Over Sidewalk Chalk Citations
A Connecticut law firm is threatening to sue the city of Hartford after receiving a police citation for stenciled sidewalk advertisements, setting up a potential municipal court battle over free speech and the enforcement of graffiti ordinances, CT Insider reported.
The dispute stems from August. Chalk messages highlighting car crash statistics and reminding pedestrians to look both ways appeared on walkways in both Hartford and West Hartford. The stencils were placed by the law firm Trantolo & Trantolo.
Mayor Arulampalam Defends Strict Enforcement of Graffiti Rules
The action drew an immediate rebuke from Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam. “If a young person did this in the city of Hartford, we would call it graffiti,” Arulampalam said at the time. “I don’t believe that a law firm should be treated any differently.”
Following the mayor’s remarks, Hartford Police issued a citation to the firm, and the city filed a grievance with the state. Meanwhile, neighboring West Hartford chose a different route, opting to send the law firm a cleanup bill for the chalk markings.
Legal Representation Demands Compensation for Defending Citation
Mario Cerame, a free speech lawyer with Aeton Law Partners representing Trantolo & Trantolo, said the state ultimately declined to prosecute the citation. However, he noted that mounting a defense against the charge was financially burdensome.
“My clients should not have to subsidize the city’s violation of free speech,” Cerame said. “If they are unwilling to cover my clients’ costs to defend against their unconstitutional misadventure — like the cost to defend against the citation and have it tossed — then yeah, there will be legal action.”
Negotiation Letter Sent to Hartford Corporation Counsel
Cerame sent a letter to Hartford’s corporation counsel, Jonathan Harding, indicating that the firm is open to negotiating legal fees before taking formal court action.
“The city can reduce its exposure to reasonable fees with prompt action,” Cerame wrote. “Declining to do so can increase those fees by orders of magnitude, however. My clients are prepared to discuss a prompt and reasonable resolution and invite early negotiations.”
City Maintains Firm Must Accept Responsibility
Mayor Arulampalam maintained that the firm should accept responsibility for its actions. In a statement addressing the threatened litigation, the mayor defended the city’s enforcement efforts.
“Trantolo & Trantolo was cited for graffiti, didn’t deny it was them who was responsible for the graffiti, and instead of accepting responsibility, they chose to threaten to sue me in my personal capacity for doing my job,” Arulampalam said.
