The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for United States v. Nixon, United States Supreme Court, (1974) Case summary for United States v. Nixon: President Nixon was served a subpoena duces tecum after white house staff members were charged with conspiracy. Nixon claimed his presidential privilege shielded him from produced the requested tapes and documents. The district court found for the U.S. […]
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 Near v. Minnesota, United States Supreme Court, (1931) Case summary for Near v. Minnesota: Near was prevented from publishing “The Saturday Press” under a state statute which prevented the publication of “malicious, scandalous and defamatory” periodicals. This specific publication was known to publish racial slurs regarding public officials, specifically Olsen. When the state court […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Powell v. Alabama, United States Supreme Court, (1932) Case summary for Powell v. Alabama: Powell and eight other African American men were convicted of raping two white women on a train. The trial judge did not assign specific counsel to each of the men and instead listed “all members of the bar” as counsel. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Payton v. New York, United States Supreme Court, (1980) Case summary for Payton v. New York: Theodore Payton and Obie Reddick each had evidence seized from their home absent a warrant. The state trial court introduced the seized evidence and the state supreme court upheld their convictions. Both defendants appealed their convictions to 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 Branzberg v. Hayes, United States Supreme Court, (1972) Case summary for Branzberg v. Hayes: Paul Branzberg, along with two others, challenged their contempt convictions after each refused to testify at a grand jury regarding the confidential identities and information they received. Each defendant claimed First Amendment protection as a news reporter, stating they were […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Sherbert v. Verner, United States Supreme Court, (1963) Case summary for Sherbert v. Verner: Sherbert was fired because she could not work on Saturday’s for religious reasons. She subsequently filed for unemployment benefits with the state and was denied. Sherbert appealed the state courts decision’s claiming that her denial for unemployment benefits was unconstitutional. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Arizona v. Hicks, United States Supreme Court, (1987) Case summary for Arizona v. Hicks: Hicks shot a gun through the floor of his apartment and responding officers searched the apartment for the victim, the shooter and weapons. The officers noticed expensive equipment, which they confirmed was stolen after moving the item to retrieve its serial […]
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