Miller v. California - Significance, The Miller Standard For Obscenity

Appellant

Marvin Miller

Appellee

State of California

Appellant's Claim

That the state of California's definition of obscenity conflicted with that set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court, and that the Appellant's conviction in California State Court should be overturned.

Chief Lawyer for Appellant

Burton Marks

Chief Lawyer for Appellee

Michael R. Capizzi

Justices for the Court

Harry A. Blackmun, Warren E. Burger (writing for the Court), Lewis F. Powell, Jr., William H. Rehnquist, Byron R. White

Justices Dissenting

William J. Brennan, Jr., William O. Douglas, Thurgood Marshall, Potter Stewart

Place

Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision

21 June 1973

Decision

The Supreme Court vacated and remanded the case, effectively affirming the lower courts' verdict.

Related Cases

• Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957).
• Memoirs v. Massachusetts, 383 U.S. 413 (1966).

Sources

Levy, Leonard W. . Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. New York: Macmillan, 1986.

Further Readings

• Bartlett, Jonathan, editor, The First Amendment in a Free Society. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1979.
• Jasper, Margaret C. The Law of Obscenity and Pornography. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications, 1996.
• Johnson, John W., editor, Historic U.S. Court Cases, 1690-1990: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publishing, 1992.