News Summary
Two Jacksonville establishments, Sinsations club and Exotic Fantasies store, have dropped their lawsuit against a Florida law requiring exotic dancers to be 21 or older. Filed in July, the case aimed to contest both the state law and a local ordinance aimed at curbing human trafficking. The decision follows a ruling affirming the ordinance’s constitutionality, leading plaintiffs to forgo further legal action. Critics argue that the law may misdirect efforts on trafficking, while supporters stress its necessity to protect vulnerable individuals in the adult entertainment industry.
Jacksonville – Two local businesses, Sinsations club and Exotic Fantasies store, have withdrawn their federal lawsuit challenging a Florida law that mandates exotic dancers must be 21 years old or older. The decision to drop the lawsuit was filed in federal court in Tallahassee on Tuesday.
The plaintiffs, which included the two Jacksonville establishments, a dancer, and a business from Alachua County, initially filed the lawsuit in July to contest both the state law and a related Jacksonville ordinance. Both laws were implemented with a goal of addressing and mitigating human trafficking associated with the adult entertainment industry.
This legal move follows a decision in April from a federal judge who upheld the Jacksonville ordinance establishing the age requirement for exotic dance performers. The legal backing for this ordinance aligns closely with the recently adopted state law approved by Florida lawmakers and Governor Ron DeSantis, reinforcing the age restriction to protect potential victims of trafficking.
The notice of dismissal filed by the plaintiffs did not elaborate on the reasons behind the decision, but a court document from May 7 referenced a recent ruling by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which pronounced the Jacksonville ordinance as constitutional. This ruling, issued on April 23, 2025, was viewed as likely final and precedent-setting within that court circuit.
With the Eleventh Circuit backing the legality of the age restriction, the plaintiffs decided against pursuing a rehearing or escalating the matter to the Supreme Court. Their initial lawsuit argued that the Florida Legislature failed to consider less severe regulations that could have minimized the limitations on First Amendment rights. Furthermore, they contended that there was no substantial evidence linking human trafficking directly to adult entertainment venues.
U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor temporarily paused the proceeding while anticipating the appeals court’s determination regarding the Jacksonville ordinance. As a result of the dismissal, the case was noted to be filed without prejudice, which allows the plaintiffs the option to pursue the legal challenge in the future if they choose.
The lawsuit originally involved operators from Cafe Risque, an adult establishment in Alachua County, as well as Exotic Fantasies, Inc., a retail shop. Exotic Fantasies had pointed out possible grounds for an ongoing legal challenge, suggesting that there was insufficient evidence to establish a link between adult retail outlets and human trafficking.
Critics of the age restriction have expressed concerns that the law targets potential victims of trafficking rather than holding accountable the perpetrators of such crimes. The plaintiffs maintained that the existing regulations could be seen as overly broad and ineffective in addressing the root causes of human trafficking while unnecessarily limiting the freedoms of individuals in the adult entertainment industry.
The latest decision concludes a significant chapter in a contentious dispute involving age restrictions in the adult entertainment sector in Florida. As the state continues to grapple with issues surrounding human trafficking, the legal landscape surrounding adult entertainment establishments may remain fluid, especially considering the possibility of future litigation on this topic.
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Additional Resources
- Action News Jax: Challenge to Florida Stripper Age Law Dropped
- Tallahassee.com: Lawsuit Over Age Restrictions for Florida Exotic Dancers Dropped
- Orlando Weekly: Challenge to Florida Law Barring Under-21 Strippers Dropped
- Wikipedia: Striptease
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Striptease
