The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following 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 […]
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 […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Brown v. Mississippi, United States Supreme Court, (1936) Case summary for Brown v. Mississippi: Brown was convicted of murder and sentenced to death based solely on his confession which was procured through severe beatings by the police. Brown offered evidence of the beatings, but the court still permitted the confession to be introduced and […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Tinker v. Des Moines, United States Supreme Court, (1969) Case summary for Tinker v. Des Moines: Students were suspended for wearing black arm bands in protest of the Vietnam War. Their parents challenged the suspension alleging their childrens’ First Amendment rights were violated. The Court held that absent a specific showing of a constitutionally […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Gratz v. Bollinger, United States Supreme Court, (2003) Case summary for Gratz v. Bollinger: Two Caucasians challenged the University of Michigan’s admissions policy after being denied entry into the undergraduate program, claiming the procedure violated the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection clause. The Procedure automatically added 20 points onto the application of a minority candidate. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Georgia v. Randolph, United States Supreme Court, (2006) Case summary for Georgia v. Randolph: Police arrived at the Randolph home subsequent to Mrs. Randolph’s call to respond to a domestic disturbance. Mrs. Randolph mentioned her husband used cocaine. In response, the police asked to search their home to which Mrs. Randolph consented and Mr. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Shelley v. Kraemer, 344 U.S. 1 (1948). Case Summary of Shelley v. Kraemer: In two companion cases, two African-American families were denied the use of land that they purchased due to race-based restrictive covenants placed on those properties. The State Supreme Courts of Missouri and Michigan allowed the deprivation of the property based on the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982). Case Summary of Plyler v. Doe: A Texas law denied free public education to children who were illegally in the country. The law was challenged on constitutional grounds in federal court. The Federal District Courts, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, held that the Texas law violated the […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Crawford v. Washington, United States Supreme Court, (2004) Case summary for Crawford v. Washington: Mr. Crawford was charged with attempted murder of a man who allegedly attempted to rape his wife. Crawford’s wife made statements to the responding officers, regarding the incident. At trial, the prosecution tried to use the statements against Crawford, since […]
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