The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following 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 Graham v. Florida, 560 U.S. 48 (2010). Case Summary of Graham v. Florida: Petitioner Graham committed two robbery-type offenses before he was 18 years old. He was ultimately sentenced to life without parole. Graham challenged his sentence as violative of the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. The Florida state courts denied […]
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 Goldberg v. Kelly, 397 U.S. 254 (1970). Case Summary of Goldberg v. Kelly: Welfare recipients sued in federal court because benefits were being terminated without recipients getting notice or a hearing prior to termination. The District Court held that a pre-termination hearing is required to satisfy procedural due process. On appeal, the Supreme Court agreed. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Frontiero v. Richardson, 411 U.S. 677 (1973). Case Summary of Frontiero v. Richardson: A federal law provided automatic benefits for the wives of military men, but not for husbands of military women. A woman in the U.S. Air Force sued to enjoin enforcement of the law, arguing that it was unconstitutionally discriminatory. The District Court […]
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 moreFollowing 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 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 more