Criminal Sodomy Statutes in Effect in 1868
Justice White noted, incorrectly, in Bowers
v. Hardwick that sodomy was a crime in all 13 colonies at the
time of the adoption of the Bill of Rights, and included errors in his history of the laws in existence at the time of the
adoption of the 14th Amendment in 1868. The
other historical error is that the sodomy laws in existence in 1868 did not,
with two possible exceptions (Connecticut and Tennessee), recognize oral sex as a crime.
Oral sex is what Hardwick performed to trigger his arrest.
He
lists the wrong laws for Arkansas,
Florida, Kansas,
Maine, Rhode
Island,
and Vermont, and omits sodomy laws in existence for the
District of Columbia, Idaho,
North Dakota and South Dakota (then known together as
the Dakota Territory), and Wyoming, as well as a common-law reception
statute in New Mexico.
Thanks to George Painter for these corrections.
Bowers
v. Hardwick Majority Opinion Footnote 6
Alabama: Ala. Rev. Code 3604 (1867).
Arizona (Terr.): Howell Code, ch. 10, 48 (1865).
Arkansas: Ark. Stat., ch. 51, Art. IV, 5 (1858).
California: 1 Cal. Gen. Laws, _ 1450, 48 (1865).
Colorado (Terr.): Colo. Rev. Stat., ch. 22, 45, 46 (1868).
Connecticut: Conn. Gen. Stat., Tit. 122, ch. 7, 124 (1866).
Delaware: Del. Rev. Stat., ch. 131, 7 (1893).
Florida: Fla. Rev. Stat., div. 5, 2614 (passed 1868)
(1892).
Georgia: Ga. Code 4286, 4287, 4290 (1867).
Kingdom of Hawaii: Haw. Penal Code, ch. 13, 11 (1869).
Illinois: Ill. Rev. Stat., div. 5, 49, 50 (1845).
Kansas (Terr.): Kan. Stat., ch. 53, 7 (1855).
Kentucky: 1 Ky. Rev. Stat., ch. 28, Art. IV, 11
(1860).
Louisiana: La. Rev. Stat., Crimes and Offences, 5
(1856).
Maine: Me. Rev. Stat., Tit. XII, ch. 160, 4 (1840).
Maryland: 1 Md. Code, Art. 30, 201 (1860).
Massachusetts: Mass. Gen. Stat., ch. 165, 18
(1860).
Michigan: Mich. Rev. Stat., Tit. 30, ch. 158, 16
(1846).
Minnesota: Minn. Stat., ch. 96, 13 (1859).
Mississippi: Miss. Rev. Code, ch. 64, LII, Art. 238 (1857).
Missouri: 1 Mo. Rev. Stat., ch. 50, Art. VIII, 7
(1856).
Montana (Terr.): Mont. Acts, Resolutions, Memorials,
Criminal Practice Acts, ch. IV, 44 (1866).
Nebraska (Terr.): Neb. Rev. Stat., Crim. Code, ch. 4, 47
(1866). [478 U.S. 186, 194]
Nevada (Terr.): Nev. Comp. Laws, 1861-1900, Crimes and
Punishments, 45.
New Hampshire: N. H. Laws, Act. of June 19, 1812, 5
(1815).
New Jersey: N. J. Rev. Stat., Tit. 8, ch. 1, 9 (1847).
New York: 3 N. Y. Rev. Stat., pt. 4, ch. 1, Tit. 5, 20
(5th ed. 1859).
North Carolina: N.C. Rev. Code, ch. 34, 6
(1855).
Oregon: Laws of Ore., Crimes - Against Morality, etc., ch. 7, 655
(1874).
Pennsylvania: Act of Mar. 31, 1860, 32, Pub. L. 392, in 1
Digest of Statute Law of Pa. 1700-1903, p. 1011 (Purdon 1905).
Rhode Island: R. I. Gen. Stat., ch. 232, 12
(1872).
South Carolina: Act of 1712, in 2 Stat. at Large of S. C.
1682-1716, p. 493 (1837).
Tennessee: Tenn. Code, ch. 8, Art. 1, 4843 (1858).
Texas: Tex. Rev. Stat., Tit. 10, ch. 5, Art. 342 (1887)
(passed 1860).
Vermont: Acts and Laws of the State of Vt. (1779).
Virginia: Va. Code, ch. 149, 12 (1868).
West Virginia: W. Va. Code, ch. 149, 12 (1868).
Wisconsin (Terr.): Wis. Stat. 14, p. 367 (1839).
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