Lewis v. Village of Alsip, Illinois

Dist. Ct. did not err in dismissing plaintiff’s section 1983 action, alleging that defendant violated her due process rights when it fined her $50 for violating ordinance that prohibited plaintiff from parking her car on street if more than 3 inches of snow had fallen in prior day. While plaintiff claimed that due process required that defendant erect sign on every street telling drivers when snow required them to remove their vehicles, Ct. of Appeals found that due process required only that legislature enact and publish law, as well as afford citizenry reasonable opportunity to familiarize itself with law’s terms and to comply with said law. Ct. further found that due process does not require that state post signage notifying all those entering state of its laws and regulations, and that existence of instant published ordinance was adequate notice in and of itself, where ordinance was clear. Moreover, defendant could insist that drivers monitor weather for themselves.