New York v. Ferber (1981)
- Docket
- 81-55
- Decided
- 1981-01-01
Summary
Question: Did the law violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments? Conclusion: No. In the Court's first examination of a statute specifically targeted against child pornography, it found that the state's interest in preventing sexual exploitation of minors was a compelling "government objective of surpassing importance." The law was carefully drawn to protect children from the mental, physical, and sexual abuse associated with pornography while not violating the First Amendment.