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Smith v. California

361 U.S. 147, 80 S.Ct. 215, 4 L.Ed.2d 205 (1959)

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Smith v. California

United States Supreme Court
361 U.S. 147, 80 S.Ct. 215, 4 L.Ed.2d 205 (1959)

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Facts

A California bookseller was sentenced to prison for possession of an obscene book in the bookseller’s bookstore in violation of a Los Angeles city ordinance that made it unlawful to possess an obscene or indecent book or writing. The bookseller challenged the constitutionality of the statute.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Brennan, J.)

Concurrence (Black, J.)

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Casebooks

First Amendment
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