Obscenity Laws in England and the United States: A Comparative Analysis

I. Introduction … A. An Outline of Obscenity Law in the United States … B. An Outline of Obscenity Law in England and Wales II. Areas of Similarity … A. Vague Standards … B. Lack of Judicial Concern for Fair Notice … C. Toleration of Geographic Inconsistency … D. Judicial Willingness to Let Personal Values Affect Decision-Making III. Areas of Difference … A. Treatment of Violence and Drug-Taking … B. Greater Protection of the Expression of Ideas Relating to Sexual Matters in the United States … C. Willingness to Find Certain Material Not Obscene as a Matter of Law … D. Burden of Proof … E. Handling of Expert Testimony … F. Procedure for Seizure of Allegedly Obscene Material … G. Procedural Differences Not Peculiar to Obscenity Prosecutions IV. Conclusion Appendix