Which Supreme Court case established the idea that obscenity is judged by community standards?

Study for the Foundations of American Democracy and Federalism Test. Explore multiple choice questions with explanations and gain insights to ace your exam!

The case that established the idea that obscenity is judged by community standards is Miller v. California. In this landmark decision, the Supreme Court formulated a three-part test for determining whether material is obscene, which emphasizes the importance of local community standards. The ruling stipulates that material can be deemed obscene if, taken as a whole, it appeals to prurient interests according to contemporary community standards, depicts sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

This case significantly impacted how obscenity is treated legally across different jurisdictions, allowing communities to define what constitutes acceptable content based on their unique values and norms. As such, Miller v. California set a precedent for local determination of obscenity, leading to varied interpretations of what may be considered offensive material in different regions.

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