Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 53a — PENAL CODE · Chapter 952 — Penal Code: Offenses
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-194 (2026)

Obscenity: Class B misdemeanor

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) A person is guilty of obscenity when, knowing its content and character, he promotes, or possesses with intent to promote, any obscene material or performance.

(b) Obscenity is a class B misdemeanor.

(1969, P.A. 828, S. 196.)

State has burden of presenting evidence of contemporary community standards in prosecution for obscenity, except where performance is so offensive that no conceivable community standard would permit it. 174 C. 46. Cited. 193 C. 612.

Cited. 28 CA 91.

Obscenity statute is not so vague or overly broad as to violate federal standards; section is presently immune from attack upon the grounds of vagueness or overbreadth at the federal level. 32 CS 639. Cited. 33 CS 681; 38 CS 570.

Cited. 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 656.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases, 1972–2019 · leading case: State v. Sorabella, 891 A.2d 897 (Conn. 2006).
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State v. Sorabella, 891 A.2d 897 (Conn. 2006). · cites it 5× “to 1999) § 53a-196c 7 and one count of *162 obscenity in violation of General Statutes § 53a-194 (a).* ** 8 The trial court rendered judgments in accordance with the jury verdicts and sentenced the defendant to a total effective term of ten years imprisonment, execution…”
State v. Heinz, 480 A.2d 452 (Conn. 1984). · cites it 8× “The defendant, Curtiss Heinz, was charged with four counts of promoting an obscene performance in violation of General Statutes § 53a-194, the first two counts relating to events that occurred on December 19,1979, and the latter two counts relating to events that occurred on…”
State v. Hanisko, 202 A.3d 375 (Conn. App. Ct. 2019). · cites it 5× “On September 10, 2009, Detectives Carreiro and Aresco obtained a warrant to search the property and to seize certain described categories of evidence of violations of General Statutes §§ 53a-194 3 and 53a-196b.”
State v. Cimino, 366 A.2d 1168 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1976). · cites it 5× “A verdict of guilty was returned by the jury against the defendant on seven counts of promoting obscenity in violation of General Statutes § 53a-194 as charged in the information.”
State v. Gagliardi, 381 A.2d 1068 (Conn. 1977). · cites it 6× “It also concluded that since the prosecution in the present case had the burden of establishing relevant community standards and elected not to do so, the state failed to establish an essential element of the crime charged, and the finding of guilty was therefore in error.”
State v. Parsons, 612 A.2d 73 (Conn. App. Ct. 1992). · cites it 2× “2d 1068 (1977), the defendant was convicted of a violation of General Statutes § 53a-194, promoting an obscene performance.”
State v. Heinz, 485 A.2d 1321 (Conn. App. Ct. 1984). · cites it 2× “The defendant was convicted of four counts of promoting an obscene performance in violation of General Statutes § 53a-194. The four counts correspond to the four performances.”
Beverly Hills Suites LLC v. Town of Windsor Locks, 136 F. Supp. 3d 167 (D. Conn. 2015). · cites it 2× “Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-194(a) provides that "[a] person is guilty of obscenity when, knowing its content and character, he promotes, or ■possesses with intent to promote, any obscene material or performance.”
State v. Heinz, 455 A.2d 346 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1982). · cites it 4× “The defendant appeals from his conviction on four counts of promoting an obscene performance in violation of General Statutes § 53a-194. The facts giving rise to the charges are essentially the following: In December, 1979, and January, 1980, the *571 defendant was the liquor…”
State v. Magee, 353 A.2d 184 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1975). · cites it 5× “I The defendants attack the constitutionality of the obscenity statute under which they were convicted, General Statutes § 53a-194, for vagueness and overbreadth.”
State v. Anonymous (1972-3), 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 655 (Conn. App. Ct. 1972). “The defendant was charged with a violation of § 53a-194 of the Penal Code, which provides as follows: “(a) A person is guilty of obscenity when, knowing its content and character, he promotes, or possesses with intent to promote, any obscene material or performance.”
— Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-194(a) — 1 case
Beverly Hills Suites LLC v. Town of Windsor Locks, 136 F. Supp. 3d 167 (D. Conn. 2015). “Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-194(a) provides that "[a] person is guilty of obscenity when, knowing its content and character, he promotes, or ■possesses with intent to promote, any obscene material or performance.”
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