§ 6330.Obscene prints and articles; jurisdiction.
Article 63. Injunction · Last amended 1980 · Last verified July 21, 2026
Full Text of CPLR 6330
Plain-English Summary
CPLR 6330 hands the supreme court authority to enjoin the sale or distribution of obscene prints and articles, and names who can bring that action: the district attorney of any county, or the chief executive officer or corporation counsel, or, absent one, the chief legal officer, of a city, town, or village where the targeted books, pictures, films, or other described material is being sold, distributed, displayed, possessed with intent to sell, or acquired with that intent, whether the material meets the description in the section itself or the obscenity definition in Penal Law section 235.00.
The section sets a fast track for the case: the party sought to be enjoined is entitled to trial within one day after issue is joined, and the court must decide within two days after trial concludes. If the court enters a final injunction, the order must direct the enjoined party to surrender the material to a designated peace officer, police officer, or the county sheriff, who must then seize and destroy it. Once served with a summons and complaint in such an action, a person is charged with knowledge of the contents of the material at issue going forward.
The officer bringing the action gets procedural protection not available to an ordinary plaintiff: no undertaking is required before the injunction issues, and the officer faces no liability for costs or damages even if the court ultimately rules for the party sought to be enjoined. On the merits, the court may grant the relief sought, deny it, or take a narrower path, enjoining the sale, display, distribution, or possession of the material only as to persons under seventeen where the material meets the description in Penal Law section 235.21.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can bring an obscenity injunction action under CPLR 6330?
A county district attorney, or a city, town, or village's chief executive officer or corporation counsel (or chief legal officer where there is no corporation counsel).
How quickly is a case under CPLR 6330 tried?
The section requires a trial within one day after issue is joined and a decision within two days after the trial concludes.
What happens to the material if the injunction is granted?
The final order directs the enjoined party to surrender it to a designated officer or the sheriff, who must seize and destroy it.
Does the government official have to post a bond to bring this kind of injunction action?
No. CPLR 6330 exempts the officer from the undertaking requirement and from liability for costs or damages, even if the case is ultimately decided against the officer.
Can a court issue a narrower order limited to protecting minors?
Yes. CPLR 6330 lets the court enjoin sale, display, distribution, or possession only as to persons under seventeen where the material fits the description in Penal Law section 235.21.
Amendment History
Add, L 1971, ch 545, § 8, eff Sept 1, 1971, deriving from Crim Code § 22–a; amd, L 1972, ch 826, eff Aug 31, 1972; L 1980, ch 843, § 207, eff Sept 1, 1980.