The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for Dickerson v. United States, 530 U.S. 428 (2000). Case Summary of Dickerson v. United States: Petitioner, prior to his criminal trial, moved to suppress a statement he made because he was never given his Miranda warnings. The District Court granted the motion. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed. The Fourth Circuit held that the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Cohens v. Virginia, 19 U.S. 264 (1821). Case Summary of Cohens v. Virginia: The Cohens sold tickets for a D.C. lottery in Virginia. Virginia had a law prohibiting the sale of out-of-state lottery tickets. The Cohens were convicted and fined $100 for the violation. They appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The State of Virginia moved […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Brewer v. Williams, 430 U.S. 387 (1977). Case Summary of Brewer v. Williams: Respondent Williams abducted and murdered a 10-year-old girl. Two days later he turned himself in after speaking to his attorney. While he was transported by police officers to the jurisdiction where the crime occurred, an officer appealed to Williams’ religious beliefs by […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Berkemer v. McCarty, 468 U.S. 420 (1984). Case Summary of Berkemer v. McCarty: Respondent McCarty was stopped by police for driving while intoxicated. McCarty responded to police questions during the traffic stop and after he was put in jail. Police never read McCarty his Miranda rights. The trial court denied McCarty’s motion to exclude his […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Barron v. Baltimore, 32 U.S. 243 (1833). Case Summary of Barron v. Baltimore: Barron, a co-owner of a once-profitable wharf in Baltimore Harbor, sued the Mayor and City of Baltimore. Barron claimed that city expansion resulted in sand accumulating at his wharf, making it lose all value. The trial court’s decision in Barron’s favor […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Hawkins v. McGee, 84 N.H. 114 (1929). Case Summary of Hawkins v. McGee: A doctor, McGee, guaranteed 100% success in an operation to fix scarring on Hawkins’ hand. The operation was not successful. Hawkins sued McGee under a breach of contract theory. Hawkins won at trial, but the court found that the amount of the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186 (1986). Case Summary of Bowers v. Hardwick: Respondent Hardwick was charged under a Georgia anti-sodomy law for engaging in homosexual sodomy in his own home. Although he was not prosecuted for the violation, Hardwick sought a judgment in Federal District Court declaring that Georgia’s law was unconstitutional. The […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for United States v. Lopez, 132 S. Ct. 945 (2012). Case Summary of United States v. Lopez: A high school senior was convicted for bringing a gun to his school, which Congress made a federal crime under the Gun Free School Zones Act. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the conviction, finding that the federal […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for United States v. Jones, 132 S. Ct. 945 (2012). Case Summary of United States v. Jones: Police placed a GPS device on defendant’s car without a warrant. The evidence gathered was used in a trial that resulted in defendant’s conviction. The Court of Appeals reversed the conviction on Fourth Amendment grounds. The U.S. Supreme […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Snyder v. Phelps, 562 U.S. 443 (2011). Case Summary of Snyder v. Phelps: A church leader and several church members traveled to Maryland to picket at a military funeral. The picketers held signs decrying the moral decline of the U.S. and homosexuality in the military. The soldier’s father sued the church and church members because […]
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