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Federal Court Interpretation Of The Washington Obscenity Statute—Brockett V. Spokane Arcades, Inc., 105 S. Ct. 2794 (1985), Amy L. Swingen
Federal Court Interpretation Of The Washington Obscenity Statute—Brockett V. Spokane Arcades, Inc., 105 S. Ct. 2794 (1985), Amy L. Swingen
Washington Law Review
A recent series of federal court decisions regarding an obscenity statute in the State of Washington provides an example of the context in which the state-federal conflict arises and the impact of the use of the various alternatives. In Brockett v. Spokane Arcades, Inc., the federal district court, the Ninth Circuit, and the Supreme Court ignored the efficient procedural solution of certification, and rejected the more time-consuming abstention as well. The question before the court involved the definition of obscenity. By refusing to allow the Washington Supreme Court to interpret the word "lust" for purposes of the state's newly enacted …