Roth v. United States

Appellant

Samuel Roth

Appellee

United States

Appellant's Claim

That publication of "obscene" material is protected by the First Amendment.

Chief Lawyers for Appellant

David von G. Albrecht and O. John Rogge

Chief Lawyer for Appellee

Roger D. Fisher

Justices for the Court

William J. Brennan, Jr. (writing for the Court), Harold Burton, Tom C. Clark, Felix Frankfurter, Earl Warren, Charles Evans Whittaker

Justices Dissenting

Hugo Lafayette Black, William O. Douglas, John Marshall Harlan II

Place

Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision

24 June 1957

Decision

The Supreme Court upheld both state and federal laws punishing the sale and distribution of publications of material judged to be obscene or indecent.

Related Cases

• Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
• Memoirs v. Massachusetts 383 U.S. 413 (1966).
• Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973).
• Paris Adult Theater v. Slaton District Attorney, 413 U.S. 49 (1973).