Smith v. Goguen, 415 U.S. 566 (1974), is a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that flag desecration laws that prohibit "contemptuous" treatment of the flag are overly broad.

Goguen, a teenager from Massachusetts, was arrested by police for wearing a small cloth US flag on the seat of his pants.

When arrested, Goguen was standing on the sidewalk, talking; he was not engaged in any demonstration.

The Supreme Court, in a 6 to 3 decision, sided with Goguen, and ruled that the statute was too vague.

The Court partially relied on prior decisions which prohibited states from compelling people to salute the flag: "neither the United States nor any State may require any individual to salute or express favorable attitudes toward the flag."