The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for Rochin v. California, Supreme Court of the United States, (1925) Case Summary for Rochin v. California: While searching Rochin’s home, officers asked what was in the capsules found by his nightstand. Rochin responded by swallowing the capsules. Officers arrested Rochin and had his stomach pumped against his will, yielding two pills which contained morphine. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States, 379 U.S. 241 (1964). Case Summary of Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States: A large motel in Atlanta refused to serve African Americans. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits racial discrimination in places of public accommodation The motel owner challenged the Civil Rights Act […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Lee v. Weisman, United States Supreme Court, (1992) Case summary for Lee v. Weisman: Mr. Weisman brought suit in district court seeking a restraining order to prevent a rabbi from delivering prayer at his daughter’s middle school graduation. Weisman claimed it violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and the federal district court denied the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Goss v. Lopez, United States Supreme Court, (1975) Case summary for Goss v. Lopez: High school student Lopez brought a class action against the school district of Ohio for suspending him without a hearing. The student’s claimed the state statute in place violated their 14th Amendment Due Process rights. The district court found for […]
Read moreThe term “probable cause” refers to the right that a police officer has to make an arrest, search a person or his property, or obtain a warrant. Probable cause requires that facts and evidence presented in a case are of the type that would lead any reasonable person to believe that the suspect had committed a crime. As an example […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Cohen v. California, United States Supreme Court, (1971) Case summary for Cohen v. California: Robert Cohen was convicted under a state statute, for wearing a shirt which read “fuck the draft.” Cohen challenged his conviction, claiming that the statute violated his First Amendment rights. The lower courts found for the state, holding that Cohen’s […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, United States Supreme Court, (1988) Case summary for Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier: After submission to the principal for final review, two articles discussing teen pregnancy and divorce were excluded from the school’s newspaper, Spectrum. Students challenged this action in district court claiming that exclusion violated their First Amendment […]
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. […]
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