CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Metroparks has agreed to no longer apply its policy regulating patrons' free speech when it comes to individual people seeking petition signatures, according to court records.

U.S. District Judge Dan Polster obtained the agreement from the Metroparks on Wednesday afternoon during a telephone conference in a lawsuit filed by a Rocky River woman this week.

Rocky River resident Alison Abdul-Kareem argued that the Metroparks' policies that required permitting and restricting free speech to certain areas at each of the park system's properties were unconstitutional.

The minutes from the telephone conference say Adul-Kareem is not required to get a permit to collect signatures for a petition to decriminalize marijuana in Cleveland during Thursday night's Edgewater Live concert.

"She is free to circulate her petitions throughout the park," the minutes state.

Polster dismissed the lawsuit, saying there is no longer a controversy that needs to be addressed.

Metropark rangers stopped Abdul-Kareem twice on July 27 as she tried to collect signatures, according to the lawsuit. During the first instance, park rangers demanded that Abdul-Kareem cease her activities and leave. While they told her she would not be arrested if she continued, she was stopped a few minutes later and surrounded by park rangers.

Eventually, the rangers left her alone, the lawsuit says. Abdul-Kareem argues Metroparks violated her free speech rights.

While Polster addressed the immediate issue, Abdul-Kareem's attorney Brian Shrive said the judge did not address the issue of the Metroparks ranger's actions on July 27.

The judge's decision to close the case means Abdul-Kareem has no opportunity to collect damages from Metroparks. Shrive anticipates either asking Polster to reconsider his decision to close the case or to file an appeal.

While the Metroparks agreed to no longer enforce its policies as it pertains to an individual person circulating petitions, the parks system defended its policies earlier.

It said in a court filing earlier Wednesday that "these are reasonable requirements that are narrowly tailored to balance an individual's rights with the public interest in a safe and orderly concert."