United States v. United States District Court, 407 U.S. 297; 92 S. Ct. 2125; 32 L. Ed. 2d 752 (1972) Facts—The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ordered the government fully to disclose to defendants information gathered in wiretaps authorized by the attorney general without judicial warrant. The government was investigating the …
Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347; 88 S. Ct. 507; 19 L. Ed. 2d 576 (1967) Facts—A federal District Court in California convicted Charles Katz of violating federal communication statutes by transmitting wagering information by telephone from Los Angeles to Miami and Boston. At the trial, evidence was introduced of Katz’s telephone conversations at …
Katz v. United States, 389 U.S. 347; 88 S. Ct. 507; 19 L. Ed. 2d 576 (1967) Read More »
Olmstead v. United States, 277 U.S. 438; 48 S. Ct. 564; 72 L. Ed. 944 (1928) Facts—Olmstead, who was the general manager of a business, was convicted of a conspiracy to violate the National Prohibition Act by unlawfully possessing, transporting, and importing intoxicating liquors and maintaining nuisances, and by selling intoxicating liquors. The information that …
Olmstead v. United States, 277 U.S. 438; 48 S. Ct. 564; 72 L. Ed. 944 (1928) Read More »
District of Columbia v. Heller, 128 S. Ct. 2783; 171 L. Ed. 2d 637; 2008 U.S. LEXIS 5268 (2008) Facts—The District of Columbia banned the possession of handguns in the home and required that any other weapon be made inoperable for immediate use. The District denied Dick Heller, a special policeman authorized to carry a …
Garcetti v. Ceballos, 547 U.S. 410; 126 S. Ct. 1951; 164 L. Ed. 2d 689 (2006) Facts—Richard Ceballos, a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County who served as a calendar deputy, concluded that an affidavit contained serious misrepresentations, and recommended dismissing the case. His superiors continued with the case, and Ceballos claims that his …
Garcetti v. Ceballos, 547 U.S. 410; 126 S. Ct. 1951; 164 L. Ed. 2d 689 (2006) Read More »
Morse v. Frederick, 551 U.S. 393; 127 S. Ct. 2618; 168 L. Ed. 2d 290 (2007) Facts—Joseph Frederick, a high school senior, was suspended after displaying a fourteen-foot banner saying “BONG HITS 4 JESUS” at an Olympic Torch Relay that passed by his school. The District Court upheld the principal’s action, but the Ninth Circuit …
Morse v. Frederick, 551 U.S. 393; 127 S. Ct. 2618; 168 L. Ed. 2d 290 (2007) Read More »
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260; 108 S. Ct. 562; 98 L. Ed. 2d 592 (1988) Facts—Staff members of Spectrum, a high school newspaper, filed a suit against the school district and school officials alleging that the principal had violated their First Amendment rights when he deleted two pages, which dealt with pregnancy …
Bethel School District No. 403 v. Fraser, 478 U.S. 675; 106 S. Ct. 3159; 92 L. Ed. 2d 549 (1986) Facts—Fraser, a student at Bethel High School in Pierce County, Washing- ton, delivered a sexually suggestive speech in nominating a fellow student for an office. Fraser was subsequently suspended from school and removed from the …
Snepp v. United States, 444 U.S. 507; 100 S. Ct. 763; 62 L. Ed. 2d 704 (1980) Facts—As a condition of his employment with the CIA in 1968, Frank Snepp executed an agreement promising that he would “not . . . publish . . . any information relating to the agency, its activities or intelligence …
Snepp v. United States, 444 U.S. 507; 100 S. Ct. 763; 62 L. Ed. 2d 704 (1980) Read More »
Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation, 438 U.S. 726; 98 S. Ct. 3026; 57 L. Ed. 2d 1073 (1978) Facts—A satiric humorist, George Carlin, recorded a twelve-minute monologue entitled “Filthy words” before a live audience in a California theater. He noted that these were the sorts of words one could not repeat on the airwaves. …
