The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, 798 N.E.2d 941 (Mass. 2003) Case Summary of Goodridge v. Department of Public Health: Seven same-sex couples were denied marriage licenses in the State of Massachusetts. They sued the government, stating that denying marriage to same-sex couples violates Massachusetts law. The state Superior Court granted the government’s motion […]
Read moreThe term “condemnation” is used to define the situation wherein a local, state, or federal government seizes a citizen’s property, then compensates the owner for what was seized. An example of condemnation is a piece of property being condemned by the government due to a carbon monoxide leak. The owners of the property will be forced to move out, and […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Agostini v. Felton, Supreme Court of the United States, (1997) Case summary for Agostini v. Felton: The school board of New York and parents of students in educationally deprived parochial schools, brought suit to challenge a 12 year old injunction against the placement of public school teachers in religious schools. The previous decision stated […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Bolling v. Sharpe, 347 U.S. 497 (1954) Case Summary of Bolling v. Sharpe: A group of African-American students were denied admission to a D.C. public school because of their race. They sued, alleging that racial segregation violates due process guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment. The District Court dismissed the complaint, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Argersinger v. Hamlin, Supreme Court of the United States, (1972) Case summary for Argersinger v. Hamlin: Jon Argersinger was charged with carrying a concealed weapon under a state statute which imposed a possible sentence of up to six months incarceration. Argersinger was not appointed counsel, and was convicted. Argersinger filed a petition for habeas […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Edwards v. Arizona, Supreme Court of the United States, (1981) Case summary for Edwards v. Arizona: After receiving a Miranda warning and invoking his right to counsel, Edwards was transferred to a correctional facility. The next day, a guard told Edwards that he must talk to the police, so when officers re-initiated questioning, Edwards […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Johnson v. California, Supreme Court of the United States, (2005) Case summary for Johnson v. California: Johnson, a black man, was detained in a state prison where he was segregated based on his race. Johnson challenged the state prison’s unwritten policy in federal district court, claiming it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the […]
Read moreThe 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution tackles the issues of equal protection under the law, and the rights of citizens. Unsurprisingly, the 14th Amendment was met with a great deal of contention at the time it was proposed. This was due to the fact that the states that were once part of the Confederacy were forced to ratify the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Robinson v. California, Supreme Court of the United States, (1962) Case summary for Robinson v. California: Robinson was a drug addict who was convicted under a California state statute which criminalized being addicted to drugs. The trial judge instructed the jury that Robinson could be convicted regardless of whether or not he was in […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Ewing v. California, Supreme Court of the United States, (2003) Case summary for Ewing v. California: Ewing was charged and convicted for stealing three golf clubs. Ewing previously committed two offenses, ripe under the states “three strikes” law. After receiving a sentence of 25 years imprisonment, Ewing challenged the law’s constitutionality under the Eight […]
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