R v Butler

R v Butler
Supreme Court of Canada
Hearing: June 6, 1991
Judgment: February 27, 1992
Full case nameDonald Victor Butler v. Her Majesty The Queen
Citations[1992] 1 S.C.R. 452, 89 D.L.R. (4th) 449, 2 W.W.R. 577, 70 C.C.C. (3d) 129, 11 C.R. (4th) 137, 8 C.R.R. (2d) 1, 78 Man. R. (2d) 1, 78 Man. R. (2e) 1
Docket No.22191 [1]
Prior historyJudgment for the Crown in the Manitoba Court of Appeal.
RulingAppeal allowed.
Holding
The criminal offence of distribution of obscenity infringes section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms but can be justified under section 1 of the Charter.
Court membership
Chief Justice: Antonio Lamer
Puisne Justices: Gérard La Forest, Claire L'Heureux-Dubé, John Sopinka, Charles Gonthier, Peter Cory, Beverley McLachlin, William Stevenson, Frank Iacobucci
Reasons given
MajoritySopinka J., joined by Lamer C.J. and La Forest, Cory, McLachlin, Stevenson, and Iacobucci JJ.
ConcurrenceGonthier J., joined by L'Heureux-Dubé J.

R v Butler, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 452 is a leading Supreme Court of Canada decision on pornography and state censorship. In this case, the Court had to balance the right to freedom of expression under section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms with women's rights. The outcome has been described as a victory for anti-pornography feminism[2] and the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund,[3] but a loss for alternative sexualities.[4]

  1. ^ SCC Case Information - Docket 22191 Supreme Court of Canada
  2. ^ Lorraine Johnson, "Sideways Glances: Looking at Porn, Looking at Art," in Suggestive Poses: Artists and Critics Respond to Censorship, ed. Lorraine Johnson (Toronto: Toronto Photographers Workshop and The Riverbank Press, 1997), p. 16, quoting Ms. magazine.
  3. ^ Christopher P. Manfredi; Scott Lemieux, "Judicial Discretion and Fundamental Justice: Sexual Assault in the Supreme Court of Canada," The American Journal of Comparative Law, Vol. 47, No. 3. (Summer, 1999), p. 500.
  4. ^ Segal, Lynne (February 1998), "Only the Literal: The Contradictions of Anti-pornography Feminism", Sexualities, 1 (1): 52, doi:10.1177/136346098001001003, S2CID 145676419