This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a dispute involving a town's attempts to put Christian speech in a box and keep it there.

The practice of "free speech zones" has become common across the nation, at colleges and universities, in towns and counties and more.

The basis is that authorities determine that they will allow free speech by Christians, often involving members of the faith asking passersby about their relationship with Jesus, but they will allow that only in a specified area.

And that area often is in a remote, isolated and unseen location, behind buildings, on the far side of athletic stadium parking lots and the like.

The fight that the Supreme Court now has agreed to review involves Gabriel Olivier of Mississippi.

In the town of Brandon, officials adopted an ordinance that bans religious speech on public sidewalks near the city's amphitheater.

According to First Liberty Institute, the background is this: "Gabriel Olivier is an evangelical Christian who desires to share his faith with others. Standing outside of well-attended events, Olivier shares the gospel of Jesus Christ, hoping to have peaceful conversations and reach as many people as possible. He was silenced when the City of Brandon, Mississippi, adopted an unconstitutional ordinance that prohibits him from communicating his religious beliefs to others in a city park."

City officials assigned him a "protest" area "that was so far removed from the crowds no one could receive his message." When he moved closer to the traffic areas, he was arrested.

He was fined, then sued the city in federal court and challenged the ordinance.

At the district court level, the judge dismissed the case without considering the facts. That ruling cited a U.S. Supreme Court decision, Heck v. Humphrey, that concerns prisoners and had nothing to do with these free speech circumstances.

When the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals traveled down the same path, an appeal went to the Supreme Court, which now will review.

"Every American has First Amendment rights to free speech; and every American has a right to their day in court," Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel for First Liberty Institute, said. "Both of these rights were violated for Gabe Olivier. The Supreme Court will now decide whether those rights will be protected for all Americans."

Allyson Ho, a partner at Gibson Dunn, which also is involved in the case, added, "We're pleased the Court agreed to take up this important case, and we look forward to presenting our arguments that Mr. Olivier is entitled to his day in court."