South Dakota legal term
Obscene in South Dakota Criminal Law
Current through 2026 South Dakota legislative session
In South Dakota criminal law, “Obscene” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the South Dakota criminal code.
What does “Obscene” mean in South Dakota criminal law?
(11) "Obscene," the status of material which: (a) The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest; (b) Depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, prohibited sexual acts; and (c) Taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. (SDCL § 22-24A-2)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.