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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>350890</law_id><section_number>18.2-380</section_number><catch_line>Punishment for first offense</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="52" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="8" identifier="8">Crimes Involving Morals and Decency</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="8" identifier="5">Obscenity and Related Offenses</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any person, firm, association or corporation convicted for the first time of an <span class="dictionary">offense</span> under &#xA7;&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Production, publication, sale, possession, etc., of obscene items" href="/18.2-374/">18.2-374</a>, <a class="law" title="Obscene exhibitions and performances" href="/18.2-375/">18.2-375</a>, <a class="law" title="Advertising, etc., obscene items, exhibitions or performances" href="/18.2-376/">18.2-376</a>, <a class="law" title="Placards, posters, bills, etc" href="/18.2-377/">18.2-377</a>, <a class="law" title="Coercing acceptance of obscene articles or publications" href="/18.2-378/">18.2-378</a> or &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Employing or permitting minor to assist in offense under article" href="/18.2-379/">18.2-379</a>, shall be guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-235.1; 1968, c. 662; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1983, c. 412; 1985, c. 279.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>United States v. Charles Ray Allen</name><case_number>94-5036</case_number><citation>37 F.3d 1496</citation><date>1994-10-24</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/680319/united-states-v-charles-ray-allen/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 37 F.3d 1496NOTICE: Fourth Circuit I.O.P. 36.6 states that citation of unpublished dispositions is .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit</court_html></item><item key="1"><name>Alger v. Commonwealth</name><case_number>Record 030848</case_number><citation>590 S.E.2d 563</citation><date>2004-01-16</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1059158/alger-v-commonwealth/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 590 S.E.2d 563 (2004) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item><item key="2"><name>McMillan v. Commonwealth</name><case_number>2074072</case_number><citation>686 S.E.2d 525</citation><date>2009-12-22</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1062294/mcmillan-v-commonwealth/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. PETTY, J., with whom ALSTON, J., .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Court of Appeals">COA</abbr></court_html></item><item key="3"><name>Croatan Books, Inc. v. Com. of Va.</name><case_number>Civ. A. 83-0379-R</case_number><citation>574 F. Supp. 880</citation><date>1983-11-04</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1867217/croatan-books-inc-v-com-of-va/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 574 F.Supp. 880 (1983) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html>District Court, E.D. Virginia</court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
