In the case City of Dallas et al. v. Stanglin, the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city's ordinance limiting attendance at dance halls to individuals between 14 and 18 years old, excluding adults unless they were parents or guardians accompanying minors. The owner of a for-profit dance hall challenged this law on First Amendment grounds, arguing that it violated his customers' freedom of association rights by preventing them from interacting with people outside their age group. However, the court disagreed and upheld the ordinance as constitutional because it did not infringe upon any fundamental right protected under the Constitution; specifically noting that dancing was not an activity associated with intimate family relationships nor political expression - both areas where freedom-of-association claims had been previously recognized by courts.

In the dissenting opinion for City of Dallas et al. v. Stanglin, Justice Stevens argued that the majority's decision failed to recognize a significant First Amendment interest in social dancing at public dance halls. He contended that such activities are expressive conduct protected by the Constitution and should not be subject to arbitrary restrictions imposed by local governments without compelling justification. Furthermore, he criticized the majority's narrow interpretation of "expressive association," arguing it undermines an individual’s right to freely associate with others in recreational settings like dance halls or skating rinks, which can foster meaningful relationships and contribute significantly to personal development and self-expression. In his view, this case was about more than just business interests; it involved fundamental rights underpinning American democracy.