The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Following is the case brief for Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, 535 U.S. 234 (2002) Case Summary of Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition: Two provisions of the Child Pornography Prevention Act of 1996 were challenged as overbroad and vague by an adult-entertainment trade association and other parties. Specifically, the two provisions of the Act in question were (i) banning images […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for De Jonge v. Oregon, 299 U.S. 353 (1937) Case Summary of De Jonge v. Oregon: De Jonge was arrested under a criminal syndicalism law for speaking at a peaceful Communist Party meeting. The trial court denied De Jonge’s motion for acquittal, and De Jonge was ultimately convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison. […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer, 137 S. Ct. 2012 (2017) Case Summary of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer: Trinity Lutheran Church has a Child Learning Center with a playground. It sought to resurface the playground with rubber by obtaining a grant through the State of Missouri’s Scrap Tire […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Locke v. Davey, 540 U.S. 712 (2004) Case Summary of Locke v. Davey: Washington State has a Promise Scholarship Program to help high-achieving college students with expenses. The scholarship cannot be used if a student is studying a devotional theology degree. Respondent Davey, a scholarship winner, sued in federal court upon learning that his […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Stanley v. Georgia, 394 U.S. 557 (1969) Case Summary of Stanley v. Georgia: Police obtained a warrant to search Stanley’s home for evidence of bookmaking activities. Police then came across an obscene film, and they seized it. Stanley was later convicted criminally for possessing the obscene material, and the Supreme Court of Georgia affirmed […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for United States v. O’Brien, 391 U.S. 367 (1968) Case Summary of United States v. O’Brien: Respondent O’Brien burned his draft card to protest the Vietnam War. He was ultimately convicted of violating a federal law, making it a crime to “knowingly destroy” a draft card. The District Court rejected O’Brien’s argument that the law […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Yates v. United States, 354 U.S. 298 (1957) Case Summary of Yates v. United States: A group of petitioners were indicted under the Smith Act, which makes it a crime to advocate and teach the violent overthrow of the U.S. Government. In this case, petitioners were accused of recruiting members to the Communist party […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Dennis v. United States, 341 U.S. 494 (1951) Case Summary of Dennis v. United States: Petitioners were charged and convicted under the Smith Act for advocating the overthrow of the Government by force or violence. Petitioners were organizing meetings of Communist members. Petitioners challenged the Smith Act on First Amendment grounds. The Court of […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323 (1974) Case Summary of Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc.: A Chicago police officer killed someone, and the victim’s family sued in civil court. The family hired Gertz as their lawyer. A magazine published false statements about Gertz, including calling him a “communist” for representing the family […]
Read moreFollowing is the case brief for Town of Greece v. Galloway, 134 U.S. 1811 (2014) Case Summary of Town of Greece v. Galloway: The Town of Greece, for over a decade, began its town hall meetings with a prayer. The prayers, given by someone from a house of worship in the town, were virtually always Christian prayers. Citizens of the […]
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