Obscene Publications Acts

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Since 1857, a series of obscenity laws known as the Obscene Publications Acts have governed what can be published in England and Wales. The classic definition of criminal obscenity is if it "tends to deprave and corrupt," stated in 1868 by John Duke Coleridge, 1st Baron Coleridge.

Timeline of legislation

There have been several Acts of Parliament of this name:

Of these, only the 1959 and 1964 acts are still in force in England and Wales, as amended by more recent legislation. They define the legal bounds of obscenity in England and Wales, and are used to enforce the censorship of obscene material. Irish law diverged from English law in 1929, replacing the OPA 1857 with a new Irish act; see Irish statutes relating to censorship.

Key cases under the Obscene Publications Act

Scottish prohibitions on obscene material are to be found in section 51 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

References

↑ Official text of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from the UK Statute Law Database
↑ Official text of the Obscene Publications Act 1964 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from the UK Statute Law Database

External links

v t e United Kingdom legislation

Pre-Parliamentary legislation	List of English statutes

Acts of Parliament by states preceding the Kingdom of Great Britain	Acts of the Parliament of England to 1483 1485–1601 1603–1641 Interregnum (1642–1660) 1660–1699 1700–1706 Acts of the Parliament of Scotland Acts of the Parliament of Ireland to 1700 1701–1800

Acts of Parliament of the Kingdom of Great Britain	1707–1719 1720–1739 1740–1759 1760–1779 1780–1800

Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	1801–1819 1820–1839 1840–1859 1860–1879 1880–1899 1900–1919 1920–1939 1940–1959 1960–1979 1980–1999 2000 to date

Church of England Measures	List Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919

Legislation of devolved institutions	Acts of the Scottish Parliament Acts and Measures of the National Assembly for Wales Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland Orders in Council for Northern Ireland

Orders-in-Council	Orders-in-Council

Secondary legislation	United Kingdom Statutory Instruments Scottish Statutory Instruments Act of Sederunt, Act of Adjournal

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Obscene Publications Acts

Timeline of legislation

Key cases under the Obscene Publications Act

See also

References

External links