Obscenity, federal: Supreme Court decisions

Every U.S. Supreme Court decision from the 1946 through 2025 Terms that the Supreme Court Database classifies under the issue “Obscenity, federal,” part of the First Amendment area.

28decisions

57%favorable to the petitioner

14%unanimous

4altered precedent or struck a law

Decisions by decade

1940s1

1950s1

1960s7

1970s9

1980s1

1990s3

2000s5

2010s1

Most majority opinions

William H. Rehnquist4

Warren E. Burger4

Byron R. White3

William J. Brennan Jr.3

Anthony M. Kennedy2

Sonia Sotomayor1

Legal provisions most often involved

First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)11

18 U.S.C. § 14614

18 U.S.C. § 22522

18 USC 22521

47 U.S.C. § 2311

Eighth Amendment (prohibition of excessive fines)1

47 U.S.C. § 2231

Fifth Amendment (due process)1

All 28 decisions, newest first

Lockhart v. United States
577 U.S. 347Decided March 1, 20166–2Sonia Sotomayor
United States v. Michael Williams
553 U.S. 285Decided May 19, 20087–2Antonin Scalia
John D. Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union
542 U.S. 656Decided June 29, 20045–4Anthony M. Kennedy
United States v. American Library Association, Inc.
539 U.S. 194Decided June 23, 20036–3William H. Rehnquist
John Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union
535 U.S. 564Decided May 13, 20028–1Clarence Thomas
John D. Ashcroft v. the Free Speech CoalitionLaw held unconstitutional
535 U.S. 234Decided April 16, 20026–3Anthony M. Kennedy
Janet Reno v. American Civil Liberties UnionLaw held unconstitutional
521 U.S. 844Decided June 26, 19979–0John Paul Stevens
United States v. X-Citement Video, Inc.
513 U.S. 64Decided November 29, 19947–2William H. Rehnquist
Ferris J. Alexander, Sr. v. United States
509 U.S. 544Decided June 28, 19935–4William H. Rehnquist
Sable Communications of California, Inc. v. Federal Communications CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
492 U.S. 115Decided June 23, 19896–3Byron R. White
Pinkus v. United States
436 U.S. 293Decided May 23, 19788–1Warren E. Burger
Smith v. United States
431 U.S. 291Decided May 23, 19775–4Harry A. Blackmun
Marks v. United States
430 U.S. 188Decided March 1, 19775–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
Hamling v. United States
418 U.S. 87Decided June 24, 19745–4William H. Rehnquist
United States v. 12 200-ft. Reels of Super 8mm. Film (Paladini
413 U.S. 123Decided June 21, 19735–4Warren E. Burger
United States v. Orito
413 U.S. 139Decided June 21, 19735–4Warren E. Burger
United States v. Reidel
402 U.S. 351Decided May 3, 19717–2Byron R. White
United States v. Thirty-Seven (37) Photographs (Luros
402 U.S. 363Decided May 3, 19716–3Byron R. White
Blount v. RizziLaw held unconstitutional
400 U.S. 410Decided January 14, 19719–0William J. Brennan Jr.
Rowan v. United States Post Office Department
397 U.S. 728Decided May 4, 19708–0Warren E. Burger
Central Magazine Sales, Ltd. v. United States
389 U.S. 50Decided October 23, 19677–1Per curiam
Aday v. United States
388 U.S. 447Decided June 12, 19676–3Per curiam
Books, Inc. v. United States
388 U.S. 449Decided June 12, 19677–2Per curiam
Redmond et Ux. v. United States
384 U.S. 264Decided May 23, 19669–0Per curiam
Ginzburg v. United States
383 U.S. 463Decided March 21, 19665–4William J. Brennan Jr.
Manual Enterprises, Inc. v. Day
370 U.S. 478Decided June 25, 19626–1John M. Harlan II
Roth v. United States
354 U.S. 476Decided June 24, 19576–3William J. Brennan Jr.
United States v. Alpers
338 U.S. 680Decided February 6, 19505–3Sherman Minton

Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error