Sodomy Laws in The United States - State Laws Prior To 2003

State Laws Prior To 2003

Below is a table of sodomy laws and penalties in U.S. states and territories prior to their invalidation in 2003.

The table indicates which acts or groups were covered under each sodomy law, as pertaining to consenting adults. It also indicates the year and method of repeal or strikedown.

State or
territory		 Year of
repeal or
strikedown		 Covered Invalidated by
Oral sex Anal sex Homosexual
couples		 Unmarried
heterosexual
couples		 Married
couples
Alabama 2003
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Alaska 1971/
1980
  • Legislative repeal
    • 1971: Oral sex decriminalized
    • 1980: Anal sex decriminalized
American
Samoa		 1889 N/A
  • Legislative repeal (1979)
Arizona 2001
  • Legislative repeal
Arkansas 1975/
2001
  • Legislative repeal (1975, reinstated
    against same-sex 1977)
  • Arkansas Supreme Court
    (Jegley v. Picado)
California 1976 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Colorado 1972 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Connecticut 1971 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Delaware 1973 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
District of
Columbia		 1993 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Florida 2003
  • U.S. Supreme Court (Lawrence v. Texas);
    NOTE: Franklin v. State, 1971, struck down original "crimes against nature" statute; sodomy still could be prosecuted under a separate statute against "unnatural and lascivious acts"; law against adultery also retained
Georgia 1998
  • Supreme Court of Georgia
    (Powell v. Georgia)
Guam 1976 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Hawaii 1973 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Idaho 1971/
2003
  • Legislative repeal (1971,
    laws reinstated 1972)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Illinois 1962 N/A
  • Legislative repeal, the first state to do so
Indiana 1976 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Iowa 1978 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Kansas 2003
  • Legislative repeal (1969 for heterosexuals, same-sex sexual activity still illegal - the first state to target LGBT people)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Kentucky 1992
  • Legislative repeal (1974 for heterosexuals, same-sex sexual activity still illegal)
  • Kentucky Supreme Court
    (Kentucky v. Wasson)
Louisiana 2003
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Maine 1976 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Maryland 1999
  • Maryland Court of Appeals
    • Schochet v. State (1990)
    • Williams v. Glendening (1998)
    • Williams v. Glendening (1999)
Massachusetts 1974
  • Massachusetts Supreme
    Judicial Court
    (Commonwealth v. Balthazar) (1974)
    • (GLAD v. Attorney General) (2002)
Michigan 1990/
2003
  • Michigan 3rd Circuit Court
    (Michigan Organization for
    Human Rights v. Kelley    ) (1990)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Minnesota 2001
  • Minnesota Court of Appeals
    (Doe v. Ventura)
Mississippi 2003
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Missouri 1999/
2003
  • Missouri Court of Appeals,
    Western District
    (State of Missouri v. Cogshell) (1999)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
  • Legislative repeal (2006)
Montana 1997
  • Legislative action (1974)
  • Montana Supreme Court
    (Grcyzan v. State)
Nebraska 1978 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Nevada 1993 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
New
Hampshire		 1975 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
New Jersey 1978 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
New Mexico 1975 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
New York 1980/
2000
  • New York Court of Appeals
    (New York v. Onofre) (1980)
  • Legislative repeal, 2000
North Carolina 2003
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Northern
Mariana
Islands		 1983 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
North Dakota 1973 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Ohio 1974 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Oklahoma 1988/
2003
  • Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
    (Newsom v. State) (1988)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Oregon 1972 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Pennsylvania 1972/
1980
  • Legislative action, 1972
  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
    (Commonwealth v. Bonadio)
  • Legislative repeal, 1995
Puerto Rico 1974/
2003
  • Legislative action (1974)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
  • Legislative repeal (2006)
Rhode Island 1998
  • Legislative repeal
South Carolina 2003
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
South Dakota 1977 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Tennessee 1996
  • Legislative repeal (1989 for heterosexuals, same-sex sexual activity still illegal)
  • Tennessee Court of Criminal
    Appeals
    (Campbell v. Sundquist)
Texas 2003
  • Legislative action (1974)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Utah 1971/
2003
  • Legislative repeal (1971, reinstated
    in full 1972)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
Vermont 1977 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Virgin Islands 1984 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Virginia 2003
  • U.S. Supreme Court
    (Lawrence v. Texas)
  • Supreme Court of Virginia
    (Martin v. Ziherl) (2005)
Washington 1976 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
West Virginia 1976 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Wisconsin 1983 N/A
  • Legislative repeal
Wyoming 1977 N/A
  • Legislative repeal

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