Legal Opinion
Bunker Hill Distributing, Inc. v. District Attorney
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided August 11, 1978PublishedCited by 35 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtAbrams, J.
The sole issue presented by this appeal is whether the declaratory judgment statute, G. L. c. 231A, can be utilized to obtain a judicial determination whether a particular film, "The Lives of Joanna,” is obscene within the meaning of the Massachusetts obscenity statute, G. L. c. 272, §§ 29-31, before the film has been exhibited or distributed within the Commonwealth and before there has been a threat of prosecution.
The plaintiff appealed from the determination of a Superior Court judge that the defendant’s motion to dismiss based on the ground that there is no actual controversy *143between the…
2Cases cited27 opinions
- United States v. CoxCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 1965
- Baker v. GriceSupreme Court of the United States · 1898
- Commonwealth v. Zone Book, Inc.Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1977
- School Committee of Cambridge v. Superintendent of SchoolsMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1946
- Kenyon v. City of ChicopeeMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1946
22 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by35 opinions
- District Attorney for the Suffolk District v. WatsonMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1980
- Rathke v. MacFarlaneSupreme Court of Colorado · 1982
- Commonwealth v. Two JuvenilesMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1986
- Bello v. South Shore HospitalMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1981
- First Justice of the Bristol Division of the Juvenile Court Department v. Clerk-magistrate of the Bristol Division of the Juvenile Court DepartmentMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2003
30 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.