The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for Granholm v. Heald, 540 U.S. 460 (2005) Case Summary of Granholm v. Heald: Michigan and New York allowed in-state wineries to ship directly to consumers, but limited out-of-state wineries from doing the same. Separate lawsuits against both States were instituted. On appeal, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Michigan law, but the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372 (2007) Case Summary of Scott v. Harris: Officer Scott ended a high-speed car chase with Respondent Harris by running into the back of Harris’s car, causing Harris to crash and suffer severe injuries. Harris sued Scott for violating his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures. The trial […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000) Case Summary of Troxel v. Granville: A Washington State statute allowed any person to petition the court for visitation rights at any time, and gave the court complete authority to make a determination in the best interest of the child. Petitioner grandparents sought, and the trial court […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Stambovsky v. Ackley, 169 A.D.2nd 254 (NY App. Div. 1991) Case Summary of Stambovsky v. Ackley: Plaintiff Stambovsky sued to rescind a real estate contract when he learned that the house was supposedly haunted, impacting its value. The trial court dismissed the action, finding no remedy at law. The appeals court modified the judgment. It […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757 (1966) Case Summary of Schmerber v. California: Police ordered a physician to take petitioner’s blood, without petitioner’s consent, in connection with a drunk driving incident. Petitioner was convicted of drunk driving with the blood sample as evidence against him. Petitioner appealed, claiming the taking of his blood violated his […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Ricci v. DeStefano, 129 S. Ct. 2658 (2009) Case Summary of Ricci v. DeStefano: The New Haven, CT Fire Department held an exam for firefighter promotions. The exam resulted in white candidates significantly outperforming minority candidates. Facing potential lawsuits from both sides, New Haven refused to certify the exam results. That decision meant that qualified […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510 (1925) Case Summary of Pierce v. Society of Sisters: The Oregon Compulsory Education Act, adopted in 1922, required Oregon children to attend public school. Owners of two private education institutions sought an injunction to stop enforcement of the Act. The District Court granted preliminary injunctions, finding […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Palko v. Connecticut, 302 U.S. 319 (1937) Case Summary of Palko v. Connecticut: The defendant was indicted on first-degree murder, but was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder by a jury. The State of Connecticut appealed that conviction. On appeal, a new trial was ordered. At the second trial, the jury convicted defendant of first-degree […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Nix v. Williams, 467 U.S. 431 (1984) Case Summary of Nix v. Williams: Williams was convicted of murder. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the conviction (in Brewer v. Williams) because police elicited from him the location of the victim’s body in violation of his Sixth Amendment rights. Williams was tried and convicted a second time. The […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for New York v. United States, 505 U.S. 144 (1992) Case Summary of New York v. United States: The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 included three incentive provisions to encourage states to address the shortage of waste disposal sites. New York State, and two counties, sought a declaratory judgment stating that the […]
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