Florida statute
Fla. Stat. § 847.011 — Prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene, lewd, etc., materials; penalty
Current through 2025 Florida Statutes
Part of Chapter 847: Obscenity, Florida Statutes.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Fla. Stat. § 847.011
Statutory text current through the 2025 Florida Statutes. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Florida.
(1)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c), any person who knowingly sells, lends, gives away, distributes, transmits, shows, or transmutes, or offers to sell, lend, give away, distribute, transmit, show, or transmute, or has in his or her possession, custody, or control with intent to sell, lend, give away, distribute, transmit, show, transmute, or advertise in any manner, any obscene book, magazine, periodical, pamphlet, newspaper, comic book, story paper, written or printed story or article, writing, paper, card, picture, drawing, photograph, motion picture film, figure, image, phonograph record, or wire or tape or other recording, or any written, printed, or recorded matter of any such character which may or may not require mechanical or other means to be transmuted into auditory, visual, or sensory representations of such character, or any article or instrument for obscene use, or purporting to be for obscene use or purpose; or who knowingly designs, copies, draws, photographs, poses for, writes, prints, publishes, or in any manner whatsoever manufactures or prepares any such material, matter, article, or thing of any such character; or who knowingly writes, prints, publishes, or utters, or causes to be written, printed, published, or uttered, any advertisement or notice of any kind, giving information, directly or indirectly, stating, or purporting to state, where, how, of whom, or by what means any, or what purports to be any, such material, matter, article, or thing of any such character can be purchased, obtained, or had; or who in any manner knowingly hires, employs, uses, or permits any person knowingly to do or assist in doing any act or thing mentioned above, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A person who, after having been convicted of a violation of this subsection, thereafter violates any of its provisions, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.(b) The knowing possession by any person of three or more identical or similar materials, matters, articles, or things coming within the provisions of paragraph (a) is prima facie evidence of the violation of the paragraph.(c) A person who commits a violation of paragraph (a) or subsection (2) which is based on materials that depict a minor engaged in any act or conduct that is harmful to minors commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.(d) A person’s ignorance of a minor’s age, a minor’s misrepresentation of his or her age, a bona fide belief of a minor’s age, or a minor’s consent may not be raised as a defense in a prosecution for one or more violations of paragraph (a) or subsection (2).
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (1)(c), a person who knowingly has in his or her possession, custody, or control any obscene book, magazine, periodical, pamphlet, newspaper, comic book, story paper, written or printed story or article, writing, paper, card, picture, drawing, photograph, motion picture film, film, any sticker, decal, emblem or other device attached to a motor vehicle containing obscene descriptions, photographs, or depictions, any figure, image, phonograph record, or wire or tape or other recording, or any written, printed, or recorded matter of any such character which may or may not require mechanical or other means to be transmuted into auditory, visual, or sensory representations of such character, or any article or instrument for obscene use, or purporting to be for obscene use or purpose, without intent to sell, lend, give away, distribute, transmit, show, transmute, or advertise the same, commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. A person who, after having been convicted of violating this subsection, thereafter violates any of its provisions commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. In any prosecution for such possession, it is not necessary to allege or prove the absence of such intent.
(3) No person shall as a condition to a sale, allocation, consignment, or delivery for resale of any paper, magazine, book, periodical, or publication require that the purchaser or consignee receive for resale any other article, paper, magazine, book, periodical, or publication reasonably believed by the purchaser or consignee to be obscene, and no person shall deny or threaten to deny or revoke any franchise or impose or threaten to impose any penalty, financial or otherwise, by reason of the failure of any person to accept any such article, paper, magazine, book, periodical, or publication, or by reason of the return thereof. Whoever violates this subsection is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(4) Any person who knowingly promotes, conducts, performs, or participates in an obscene show, exhibition, or performance by live persons or a live person before an audience is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. Any person who, after having been convicted of violating this subsection, thereafter violates any of its provisions and is convicted thereof is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(5)(a)1. A person may not knowingly sell, lend, give away, distribute, transmit, show, or transmute; offer to sell, lend, give away, distribute, transmit, show, or transmute; have in his or her possession, custody, or control with the intent to sell, lend, give away, distribute, transmit, show, or transmute; or advertise in any manner an obscene, child-like sex doll.2.a. Except as provided in sub-subparagraph b., a person who violates this paragraph commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.b. A person who is convicted of violating this paragraph a second or subsequent time commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.(b)1. Except as provided in subparagraph 2., a person who knowingly has in his or her possession, custody, or control an obscene, child-like sex doll commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.2. A person who is convicted of violating this paragraph a second or subsequent time commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.(c)1. A law enforcement officer may arrest without a warrant any person who he or she has probable cause to believe has violated paragraph (b).2. Upon proper affidavits being made, a search warrant may be issued to further investigate a violation of paragraph (b), including to search a private dwelling.
(6) Every act, thing, or transaction forbidden by this section shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such.
(7) Proof that a defendant knowingly committed any act or engaged in any conduct referred to in this section may be made by showing that at the time such act was committed or conduct engaged in the defendant had actual knowledge of the contents or character of the material, matter, article, or thing possessed or otherwise dealt with, by showing facts and circumstances from which it may fairly be inferred that he or she had such knowledge, or by showing that he or she had knowledge of such facts and circumstances as would put a person of ordinary intelligence and caution on inquiry as to such contents or character.
(8) There shall be no right of property in any of the materials, matters, articles, or things possessed or otherwise dealt with in violation of this section; and, upon the seizure of any such material, matter, article, or thing by any authorized law enforcement officer, the same shall be held by the arresting agency. When the same is no longer required as evidence, the prosecuting officer or any claimant may move the court in writing for the disposition of the same and, after notice and hearing, the court, if it finds the same to have been possessed or otherwise dealt with in violation of this section, shall order the sheriff to destroy the same in the presence of the clerk; otherwise, the court shall order the same returned to the claimant if the claimant shows that he or she is entitled to possession. If destruction is ordered, the sheriff and clerk shall file a certificate of compliance.
(9)(a) The circuit court has jurisdiction to enjoin a threatened violation of this section upon complaint filed by the state attorney or attorney for a municipality in the name of the state upon the relation of such state attorney or attorney for a municipality.(b) After the filing of such a complaint, the judge to whom it is presented may grant an order restraining the person complained of until final hearing or further order of the court. Whenever the relator state attorney or attorney for a municipality requests a judge of such court to set a hearing upon an application for such a restraining order, such judge shall set such hearing for a time within 3 days after the making of such request. No such order shall be made unless such judge is satisfied that sufficient notice of the application therefor has been given to the party restrained of the time when and place where the application for such restraining order is to be made; however, such notice shall be dispensed with when it is manifest to such judge, from the sworn allegations of the complaint or the affidavit of the plaintiff or other competent person, that the apprehended violation will be committed if an immediate remedy is not afforded.(c) The person sought to be enjoined shall be entitled to a trial of the issues within 1 day after joinder of issue, and a decision shall be rendered by the court within 2 days of the conclusion of the trial.(d) In any action brought as provided in this subsection, no bond or undertaking shall be required of the state attorney or the municipality or its attorney before the issuance of a restraining order provided for by paragraph (b), and there shall be no liability on the part of the state or the state attorney or the municipality or its attorney for costs or for damages sustained by reason of such restraining order in any case where a final decree is rendered in favor of the person sought to be enjoined.(e) Every person who has possession, custody, or control of, or otherwise deals with, any of the materials, matters, articles, or things described in this section, after the service upon him or her of a summons and complaint in an action for injunction brought under this subsection, is chargeable with knowledge of the contents and character thereof.
(10) The several sheriffs and state attorneys shall vigorously enforce this section within their respective jurisdictions.
(11) This section shall not apply to the exhibition of motion picture films permitted by s. 847.013.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene, lewd, etc., materials; penalty a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
It depends on the circumstances: prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene, lewd, etc., materials; penalty ranges from a Misdemeanor of the Second Degree to a Felony of the Second Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 847.011.
Distribution/possession with intent (obscene materials) — first offense: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(1)(a)) · Distribution/possession with intent (obscene materials) — subsequent offense: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(1)(a)) · Obscene materials depicting a minor: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(1)(c)) · Simple possession of obscene material without intent to distribute — first offense: Misdemeanor of the Second Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(2)) · Simple possession of obscene material without intent to distribute — subsequent offense: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(2)) · Coercive tie-in sale or distribution scheme: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(3)) · Obscene live show or performance — first offense: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(4)) · Obscene live show or performance — subsequent offense: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(4)) · Sale/distribution/possession with intent of obscene child-like sex doll — first offense: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(5)(a)2.) · Sale/distribution/possession with intent of obscene child-like sex doll — second or subsequent offense: Felony of the Second Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(5)(a)2.) · Simple possession of obscene child-like sex doll — first offense: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(5)(b)1.) · Simple possession of obscene child-like sex doll — second or subsequent offense: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 847.011(5)(b)2.)
Which Florida statute covers prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene, lewd, etc., materials; penalty?
Prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene, lewd, etc., materials; penalty is governed by Fla. Stat. § 847.011 (Prohibition of certain acts in connection with obscene, lewd, etc., materials; penalty).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.