New York statute
N.Y. Penal Law § 235.00 — Obscenity; definitions of terms
Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
Part of Article 235: Obscenity and Related Offenses, New York Penal Law.
Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 235.00
Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.
235.00 Obscenity; definitions of terms.
The following definitions are applicable to sections 235.05, 235.10
and 235.15:
1. "Obscene." Any material or performance is "obscene" if (a) the
average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find
that considered as a whole, its predominant appeal is to the prurient
interest in sex, and (b) it depicts or describes in a patently offensive
manner, actual or simulated: vaginal sexual contact, a crime under the
former sections 130.50, 130.45, and 130.40 of the penal law, oral sexual
contact, anal sexual contact, sexual bestiality, masturbation, sadism,
masochism, excretion or lewd exhibition of the genitals, and (c)
considered as a whole, it lacks serious literary, artistic, political,
and scientific value. Predominant appeal shall be judged with reference
to ordinary adults unless it appears from the character of the material
or the circumstances of its dissemination to be designed for children or
other especially susceptible audience.
2. "Material" means anything tangible which is capable of being used
or adapted to arouse interest, whether through the medium of reading,
observation, sound or in any other manner.
3. "Performance" means any play, motion picture, dance or other
exhibition performed before an audience.
4. "Promote" means to manufacture, issue, sell, give, provide, lend,
mail, deliver, transfer, transmute, publish, distribute, circulate,
disseminate, present, exhibit or advertise, or to offer or agree to do
the same.
5. "Wholesale promote" means to manufacture, issue, sell, provide,
mail, deliver, transfer, transmute, publish, distribute, circulate,
disseminate or to offer or agree to do the same for purposes of resale.
6. "Simulated" means the explicit depiction or description of any of
the types of conduct set forth in clause (b) of subdivision one of this
section, which creates the appearance of such conduct.
7. " Criminal sexual act" means any of the types of sexual conduct
defined in subdivision two of section 130.00 provided, however, that in
any prosecution under this article the marital status of the persons
engaged in such conduct shall be irrelevant and shall not be considered.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.