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List of sex-related court cases in the United States

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357:. For a publication to be considered obscene, taken as a whole, it must appear to "the average person, applying contemporary community standards", to appeal to the prurient interest, depict sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, and lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. 487:. Statute prohibiting sale or distribution of contraceptives to a minor under 16; for anyone other than a licensed pharmacist to distribute contraceptives to persons 16 or over; and for anyone, including licensed pharmacists, to advertise or display contraceptives, is unconstitutional. 106:'s prohibition against birth control products or information as obscene/lewd or lascivious was held to not apply to shipments from a physician. The federal government could not interfere with doctors providing contraception to their patients. 510:. A judge who ordered the sterilization of an allegedly retarded young woman was immune from civil suit even though he did not hold a hearing to receive evidence or appoint an attorney to represent the woman's interests. 229:. The law prohibiting an unmarried interracial couple from habitually living in and occupying the same room in the nighttime that does not apply to couples of the same race violates equal protection clause. 409: 160:. Obscenity is defined as material that "to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material, taken as a whole, appeals to prurient interest". 814: 303:" unconstitutionally vague in the case of consensual sodomy, thus the crime could now only be charged under a different, lesser statute, reducing the penalty from a felony to a misdemeanor. 448: 712: 853: 732: 538: 554: 744:. A statute prohibiting private consensual oral sodomy between married persons is unconstitutional, because it infringes upon the constitutional right of privacy. 748: 829:(Minn. Dist. Ct 2001) Minnesota sodomy law found to violate state constitutional right to privacy, in cases where it is private, consensual, and non-commercial. 870: 666: 607: 496: 473: 430: 395: 366: 343: 312: 269: 238: 215: 192: 169: 146: 115: 64: 598:. Administrative discharge from U.S. Navy for homosexual conduct is valid because private, consensual, homosexual conduct is not constitutionally protected. 764: 586: 625:
between people of the same sex in the privacy of one's home may be made illegal. (The statute was later struck down on State Constitutional grounds; see
550:. The term "lewd, wanton and lascivious person" used in a Massachusetts sex crime statute was unconstitutionally vague as it applied to consenting adults. 806: 582:. Federal District Court finds Texas sodomy law unconstitutional; Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overturns and holds law to be constitutional. 833: 684: 206:. In the absence of an actual threat of prosecution, plaintiffs do not have standing to challenge Connecticut law making use of contraceptives illegal. 90: 821: 884:. A Texas law making sodomy with same sex partner illegal, but not with opposite sex partner, is unconstitutional. This case expressly overturns 908:
as precedent. Kansas law allowing for opposite-sex statutory rape to be punished less severely than same-sex statutory rape is unconstitutional.
728:, Texas state appellate court affirms lower court decision finding prohibition on hiring gays and lesbians as police officers unconstitutional. 425: 826: 987: 917: 817:(Baltimore City Cir. Ct. 1999). State of Maryland agrees to court order declaring its law forbidding consensual sodomy unconstitutional. 811: 468: 444:. U.S. Supreme Court gave summary decision which sustained lower court's finding that Virginia's Sodomy statute is constitutional. 792:. The Georgia State Supreme Court finds the law making consensual sodomy a crime which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1043: 42:
The following is a list of noteworthy sex-related court cases in order by date. (Note that in the legal sense, the term "
696:. Texas statute that criminalizes private sexual relations between consenting adults of the same sex is unconstitutional. 1048: 982: 559: 453: 390: 1007: 948: 661: 20: 921: 846: 570:
law against consensual sodomy is unconstitutional. (The state would repeal the law 15 years later.)
414: 380:. Theatre manager's conviction of "the crime of distributing obscene material" for showing the film 405: (1975) A law that prohibits releasing the name of a rape victim is generally unconstitutional. 130: 79: 838: 769: 689: 382: 233: 183:. Applying the Roth test, the Court rules that homosexual content is not by definition obscene. 874: 670: 611: 500: 477: 434: 399: 370: 347: 316: 273: 242: 219: 210: 196: 173: 150: 141: 119: 68: 32: 953: 650: 338: 300: 8: 654: 307: 164: 110: 36: 886: 877: 794: 776:. The Montana State Supreme Court finds law against consensual sodomy unconstitutional. 700: 673: 614: 602: 503: 480: 437: 402: 373: 361: 319: 276: 264: 245: 222: 199: 176: 153: 122: 71: 350: 1038: 936: 904: 865: 858: 780: 717: 633: 627: 491: 421:. A law against consensual sodomy with someone not one's spouse is unconstitutional. 291: 134: 543: 39:. The trend has been one of courts striking down states' attempts to regulate sex. 912: 527: 514: 753: 924:
rules that the state criminal prohibition of sex between unmarried individuals (
894: 785: 641: 327: 83: 737: 591: 1032: 977: 965: 941: 899: 881: 842: 789: 773: 757: 741: 721: 705: 693: 677: 646: 618: 595: 579: 574: 563: 547: 523: 507: 484: 457: 441: 418: 377: 354: 323: 296: 280: 249: 226: 203: 187: 180: 157: 126: 95: 75: 519: 957: 944:
and the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom regarding internet obscenity)
653:
ruled that the concept of obscenity violated the free speech clause of the
567: 103: 59: 925: 461: 28: 24: 257: 99: 51: 47: 1014:. Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass. 1995 284: 253: 760:. A Tennessee law against consensual sodomy is unconstitutional. 708:. A Kentucky law against consensual sodomy is unconstitutional. 622: 531: 331: 43: 956:(2017) A law prohibiting registered sex offenders from using 861:(2002) Massachusetts sodomy law declared unconstitutional. 657:
and abolished the offense of obscenity in that state.
16:
Court cases dealing with sexuality and related issues
464:(sex between unmarried persons) is unconstitutional. 129:. A law punishing certain classes of criminals with 91:United States v. One Package of Japanese Pessaries 1030: 326:. Overturned Massachusetts law that made giving 662:Planned Parenthood of Southeastern PA. v. Casey 111:Skinner v. State of Oklahoma Ex Rel. Williamson 287:material in one's home cannot be made a crime. 631:below. This case was later overturned; see 27:courts have decided several cases regarding 988:Timeline of reproductive rights legislation 680:. Certain abortion restrictions are valid. 299:. Florida Supreme Court finds law against " 248: (1965), 85 S.Ct. 1678, 14 L.Ed.2d 510 849:finds state's sodomy law unconstitutional. 469:Carey v. Population Services International 426:Doe v. Commonwealth's Attorney of Richmond 798:to be unconstitutional as violating the 718:846 S.W.2d 957; 1993 Tex. App. LEXIS 451 252:. Laws prohibiting the distribution of 1031: 410:State of Iowa v. Robert Eugene Pilcher 386:overturned as the film is not obscene. 968:for an explanation of these numbers. 78:. A law which allowed the state to 1000: 802:Constitution's privacy protections. 578:, 553 F.Supp. 1121 (N.D.Tex. 1982) 13: 928:) is unconstitutional in light of 14: 1060: 983:Sodomy laws in the United States 645:, 302 Or. 510, 732 P2d 9 (1987) 449:State of New Jersey v. Saunders 391:Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. Cohn 1: 993: 827:No. MC 01-489, 2001 WL 543734 260:persons are unconstitutional. 1044:United States case law lists 949:Packingham v. North Carolina 902:. The first case to rely on 898:, 280 Kan. 275, 122 P.3d 22 82:the mentally handicapped is 46:" often applies not only to 7: 971: 859:436 Mass. 132, 763 NE.2d 38 839:349 Ark. 600, 80 S.W.3d 332 786:270 Ga. 327, 510 S.E. 2d 18 295:, 257 So.2d 21 (Fla. 1971) 21:United States Supreme Court 10: 1065: 1012:The Margaret Sanger Papers 812:No. 980360311/CC-1059 1998 1049:Case law lists by subject 922:Supreme Court of Virginia 847:Supreme Court of Arkansas 713:City of Dallas v. England 854:GLAD v. Attorney General 733:State of Idaho v. Holden 539:Commonwealth v. Sefranka 460:. A statute prohibiting 704:, 842 S.W.2d 487 (1992) 555:Commonwealth v. Bonadio 530:law against consensual 330:to unmarried persons a 234:Griswold v. Connecticut 701:Commonwealth v. Wasson 560:490 Pa.91, 415 A.2d 47 749:Campbell v. Sundquist 740:(Idaho Ct. App. 1995) 301:crimes against nature 283:. Mere possession of 211:McLaughlin v. Florida 142:Roth v. United States 54:and other sex acts.) 960:is unconstitutional. 940:, (a case involving 880: (2003), 02-102 651:Oregon Supreme Court 534:is unconstitutional. 339:Miller v. California 1008:"Biographical Note" 308:Eisenstadt v. Baird 165:One, Inc. v. Olesen 37:reproductive rights 887:Bowers v. Hardwick 765:Gryczan v. Montana 655:state constitution 603:Bowers v. Hardwick 587:Dronenburg v. Zech 440: (1976) (1976) 362:Jenkins v. Georgia 265:Stanley v. Georgia 937:Nitke v. Gonzales 930:Lawrence v. Texas 920:(Va. 2005). The 905:Lawrence v. Texas 866:Lawrence v. Texas 807:Williams v. State 781:Powell v. Georgia 634:Lawrence v. Texas 628:Powell v. Georgia 492:Stump v. Sparkman 292:Franklin v. State 1056: 1023: 1022: 1020: 1019: 1004: 913:Martin v. Ziherl 834:Jegley v. Picado 726:State v. Morales 685:State v. Morales 515:People v. Onofre 383:Carnal Knowledge 135:unconstitutional 1064: 1063: 1059: 1058: 1057: 1055: 1054: 1053: 1029: 1028: 1027: 1026: 1017: 1015: 1006: 1005: 1001: 996: 974: 594:(D.C.Cir.1984) 546:, (Mass. 1980) 33:sexual activity 17: 12: 11: 5: 1062: 1052: 1051: 1046: 1041: 1025: 1024: 998: 997: 995: 992: 991: 990: 985: 980: 973: 970: 962: 961: 945: 933: 918:607 S.E.2d 367 909: 895:State v. Limon 891: 862: 850: 830: 822:Doe v. Ventura 818: 803: 777: 761: 754:926 S.W.2d 250 745: 729: 709: 697: 690:826 S.W.2d 201 681: 658: 642:State v. Henry 638: 599: 583: 571: 551: 544:414 N.E.2d 602 535: 528:New York State 520:415 N.E.2d 936 511: 488: 465: 445: 422: 415:242 N.W.2d 348 406: 387: 358: 335: 328:contraceptives 304: 288: 261: 230: 207: 184: 161: 138: 107: 87: 84:constitutional 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1061: 1050: 1047: 1045: 1042: 1040: 1037: 1036: 1034: 1013: 1009: 1003: 999: 989: 986: 984: 981: 979: 978:Landmark case 976: 975: 969: 967: 966:Case citation 959: 955: 954:582 U.S. ___ 951: 950: 946: 943: 942:Barbara Nitke 939: 938: 934: 931: 927: 923: 919: 915: 914: 910: 907: 906: 901: 897: 896: 892: 889: 888: 883: 879: 876: 872: 868: 867: 863: 860: 856: 855: 851: 848: 844: 840: 836: 835: 831: 828: 824: 823: 819: 816: 813: 809: 808: 804: 801: 797: 796: 791: 787: 783: 782: 778: 775: 771: 767: 766: 762: 759: 756:(Tn.App.1996) 755: 751: 750: 746: 743: 739: 735: 734: 730: 727: 723: 719: 715: 714: 710: 707: 703: 702: 698: 695: 691: 687: 686: 682: 679: 675: 672: 668: 664: 663: 659: 656: 652: 648: 644: 643: 639: 636: 635: 630: 629: 624: 620: 616: 613: 609: 605: 604: 600: 597: 593: 592:741 F.2d 1388 589: 588: 584: 581: 577: 576: 575:Baker v. Wade 572: 569: 565: 561: 557: 556: 552: 549: 545: 541: 540: 536: 533: 529: 525: 521: 517: 516: 512: 509: 505: 502: 498: 494: 493: 489: 486: 482: 479: 475: 471: 470: 466: 463: 459: 455: 451: 450: 446: 443: 439: 436: 432: 428: 427: 423: 420: 416: 412: 411: 407: 404: 401: 397: 393: 392: 388: 385: 384: 379: 375: 372: 368: 364: 363: 359: 356: 352: 349: 345: 341: 340: 336: 333: 329: 325: 321: 318: 314: 310: 309: 305: 302: 298: 294: 293: 289: 286: 282: 278: 275: 271: 267: 266: 262: 259: 255: 251: 247: 244: 240: 236: 235: 231: 228: 224: 221: 217: 213: 212: 208: 205: 201: 198: 194: 190: 189: 188:Poe v. Ullman 185: 182: 178: 175: 171: 167: 166: 162: 159: 155: 152: 148: 144: 143: 139: 136: 132: 131:sterilization 128: 124: 121: 117: 113: 112: 108: 105: 101: 97: 93: 92: 88: 85: 81: 77: 73: 70: 66: 62: 61: 57: 56: 55: 53: 49: 45: 40: 38: 34: 30: 26: 22: 1016:. Retrieved 1011: 1002: 963: 958:social media 947: 935: 929: 911: 903: 893: 885: 864: 852: 832: 820: 805: 799: 793: 779: 770:942 P.2d 112 763: 747: 738:890 P.2d 341 731: 725: 711: 699: 683: 676: (1992) 660: 640: 632: 626: 617: (1986) 601: 585: 573: 568:Pennsylvania 553: 537: 522:(N.Y. 1980) 513: 506: (1978) 490: 483: (1977) 467: 454:381 A.2d 333 447: 424: 408: 389: 381: 376: (1974) 360: 353: (1973) 337: 322: (1972) 306: 290: 263: 232: 225: (1964) 209: 202: (1961) 186: 179: (1958) 163: 156: (1957) 140: 125: (1942) 109: 104:Comstock act 89: 60:Buck v. Bell 58: 50:but also to 41: 23:and various 18: 926:fornication 462:fornication 456:(N.J. 1977) 417:(Iowa 1976) 279: (1969) 102:1936). The 96:86 F.2d 737 74: (1927) 29:pornography 1033:Categories 1018:2006-10-21 994:References 562:(Pa. 1980) 25:U.S. state 815:Lexis 260 80:sterilize 1039:Sex laws 972:See also 100:2nd Cir. 52:oral sex 48:anal sex 841:(2002) 724:Citing 720:(1993) 692:(1992) 637:below.) 285:obscene 258:married 254:condoms 795:Bowers 788:(1998) 772:(1997) 623:Sodomy 532:sodomy 332:felony 44:sodomy 35:, and 873: 800:state 669: 610: 566:. A 526:. A 499: 476: 433: 398: 369: 346: 315: 272: 241: 218: 195: 172: 149: 118: 67: 964:See 875:U.S. 671:U.S. 649:The 612:U.S. 501:U.S. 478:U.S. 435:U.S. 400:U.S. 371:U.S. 348:U.S. 317:U.S. 274:U.S. 243:U.S. 220:U.S. 197:U.S. 174:U.S. 151:U.S. 120:U.S. 69:U.S. 19:The 916:, 878:558 871:539 674:833 667:505 615:186 608:478 504:349 497:435 481:678 474:431 438:901 431:425 403:469 396:420 374:453 367:418 344:413 320:438 313:405 277:557 270:394 256:to 246:479 239:381 223:184 216:379 200:497 193:367 177:371 170:355 154:476 147:354 133:is 123:535 116:316 72:200 65:274 1035:: 1010:. 952:, 869:, 857:, 845:. 837:, 825:, 810:, 784:, 768:, 752:, 736:, 716:, 688:, 665:, 621:. 606:, 590:, 558:, 542:, 518:, 495:, 472:, 452:, 429:, 413:, 394:, 365:, 351:15 342:, 311:, 268:, 237:, 214:, 191:, 168:, 145:, 114:, 94:, 63:, 31:, 1021:. 932:. 900:* 890:. 882:* 843:* 790:* 774:* 758:* 742:* 722:* 706:* 694:* 678:* 647:* 619:* 596:* 580:* 564:* 548:* 524:* 508:* 485:* 458:* 442:* 419:* 378:* 355:* 334:. 324:* 297:* 281:* 250:* 227:* 204:* 181:* 158:* 137:. 127:* 98:( 86:. 76:*

Index

United States Supreme Court
U.S. state
pornography
sexual activity
reproductive rights
sodomy
anal sex
oral sex
Buck v. Bell
274
U.S.
200
*
sterilize
constitutional
United States v. One Package of Japanese Pessaries
86 F.2d 737
2nd Cir.
Comstock act
Skinner v. State of Oklahoma Ex Rel. Williamson
316
U.S.
535
*
sterilization
unconstitutional
Roth v. United States
354
U.S.
476

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