[JURIST] A federal judge has blocked a Minnesota law [text] scheduled to take effect Tuesday that would have imposed a fine of up to $25 on minors who purchase video games rated for adults and would have required retailers to post notice of the fines. The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) [official website] argued before US District Judge James Rosenbaum that the pending law would violate the First Amendment rights of the video game retailers [JURIST report], even though the law targeted consumers. In 2003, the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit [official website], which is binding over the District of Minnesota [official website], ruled that video games are a protected form of expression.

Judges have struck down similar laws as unconstitutional in Michigan, California and Illinois [JURIST reports]. In Louisiana, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the enforcement [JURIST report] of Louisiana's new law banning the sale of violent video games to minors. AP has more.