Butler v. Michigan, 352 U.S. 380 (1957)

Butler v. Michigan

No. 16

Argued October 16, 1956
Decided February 25, 1957
352 U.S. 380

APPEAL FROM THE RECORDER’S COURT

OF THE CITY OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Syllabus

Section 343 of the Michigan Penal Code, in effect, makes it a misdemeanor to sell or make available to the general reading public any book containing obscene language "tending to the corruption of the moral of youth." For selling to an adult police officer a book which the trial judge found to have such a potential effect on youth, appellant was convicted of a violation of this section.

Held: the statute violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the conviction is reversed. Pp. 380-384.

Reversed.