Constitutional Law Archives

Lockett v. Ohio, 438 U.S. 586 (1978)

Issues: Cruel & Unusual Punishment Clause, Death Penalty, Eighth Amendment

438 U.S. 586 98 S.Ct. 2954 57 L.Ed.2d 973 Sandra LOCKETT, Petitioner, v. State of OHIO. No. 76-6997. Argued Jan. 17, 1978. Decided July 3, 1978. Syllabus The Ohio death penalty statute provides that once a defendant is found guilty of aggravated murder with at least one of seven specified aggravating circumstances, the death penalty […]

Kansas v. Carr, 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Issues: Death Penalty, Eighth Amendment

NOTE:?Where it is feasible, a syllabus (headnote) will be released, as is being done in connection with this case, at the time the opinion is issued.The syllabus constitutes no part of the opinion of the Court but has been prepared by the Reporter of Decisions for the convenience of the reader.See United States v. Detroit […]

Hurst v. Florida, 577 U.S. ___ (2016)

Issues: Cruel & Unusual Punishment Clause, Death Penalty, Sixth Amendment

GARDNER v. FLORIDA, 430 U.S. 349 (1977)

Issues: Cruel & Unusual Punishment Clause, Death Penalty, Eighth Amendment, Sentencing

430 U.S. 349 97 S.Ct. 1197 51 L.Ed.2d 393 Daniel Wilbur GARDNER, Petitioner,v.State of FLORIDA. No. 74-6593. Argued Nov. 30, 1976. Decided March 22, 1977. Syllabus Petitioner was convicted of first-degree murder in a Florida court. After the required separate sentencing hearing, the jury advised the court to impose a life sentence on the ground […]

Franchise Tax Bd. of Cal. v. Hyatt, 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Issues: Constitutional Law, Full Faith and Credit Clause

Bank Markazi v. Peterson, 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Issues: Separation of Powers

Harris v. Ariz. Indep. Redistricting Comm?n, 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Issues: Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, One Person One Vote Principle, Voting Rights Act of 1965

Heffernan v. City of Paterson, 578 U.S. ___ (2016)

Issues: Constitutional Law, First Amendment, Protected Political Activity

Goss v. Lopez, 419 U.S. 565 (1975)

Issues: Constitutional Law, Due Process of Law, Fourteenth Amendment, Public Schools

419 U.S. 565 95 S.Ct. 729 42 L.Ed.2d 725 Norval GOSS et al., Appellants, v. Eileen LOPEZ et al. No. 73?898. Argued Oct. 16, 1974. Decided Jan. 22, 1975. [qtbl style=”color:gray;”]One-Sentence Takeaway:?The due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that a public school conduct a hearing before subjecting a student to suspension.[/qtbl] Syllabus Appellee […]

Blanchette v. Connecticut General Insurance Corp., 419 U.S. 102 (1974)

Issues: Uniformity Clause

419 U.S. 102 95 S.Ct. 335 42 L.Ed.2d 320 Robert W. BLANCHETTE et al., as Trustees of the Property of Penn Central Transportation Company, Appellants, v. CONNECTICUT GENERAL INSURANCE CORPORATIONS et al. Richard Joyce SMITH, Trustee of the Property of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company, Appellant, v. UNITED STATES et al. […]

Sosna v. Iowa, 419 U.S. 393 (1975)

Issues: Durational Residency Requirements

419 U.S. 393 95 S.Ct. 553 42 L.Ed.2d 532 Carol Maureen SOSNA, etc., Appellant, v. State of IOWA et al. No. 73?762. Argued Oct. 17, 1974. Decided Jan. 14, 1975. [qtbl style=”color:gray;”]One-Sentence Takeaway:?A state’s durational residency?requirement for residents filing for divorce in said state is constitutional.[/qtbl] Syllabus Appellant’s petition for divorce was dismissed by an […]

Gulf Oil Corp. v. Copp Paving Company, Inc., 419 U.S. 186 (1974)

Issues: Commerce Clause

42 L.Ed.2d 378 95 S.Ct. 392 419 U.S. 186 GULF OIL CORPORATION et al., Petitioners, v. COPP PAVING COMPANY, INC., et al. No. 73?1012. Argued Oct. 21, 22, 1974. Dec. 17, 1974. Syllabus Respondent operators of a California ‘hot plant,’ at which asphaltic concrete for surfacing highways is manufactured and sold entirely intrastate, alleging violations […]

Jackson v. Metropolitan Edison Co., 419 U.S. 345 (1974)

Issues: Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Fourteenth Amendment, State Action

419 U.S. 345 95 S.Ct. 449 42 L.Ed.2d 477 Catherine JACKSON, etc., Petitioner, v. METROPOLITAN EDISON COMPANY. No. 73?5845. Argued Oct. 15, 1974. Decided Dec. 23, 1974. [qtbl style=”color:gray;”] One-Sentence Takeaway: ?Actions of a privately-owned?utility company are not state actions subject to review?by federal courts pursuant to the Fourteenth Amendment even if said utility company […]

Schlesinger v. Reservists Committee, 418 U.S. 208 (1974)

Issues: Article III, Civil Procedure, Standing to Sue

418 U.S. 208 94 S.Ct. 2925. 41 L.Ed.2d 706 James R. SCHLESINGER, Secretary of Defense, et al., Petitioners,v.RESERVISTS COMMITTEE TO STOP THE WAR et al. No. 72?1188. Argued Jan. 14, 1974. Decided June 25, 1974. Syllabus Respondents?an association of present and former members of the Armed Forces Reserve opposing United States involvement in Vietnam, and […]

UNITED STATES v. MATLOCK, 415 U.S. 164 (1947)

Issues: Consent to Search, Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Declaration Against Interest, Evidence Law, Fourth Amendment, Hearsay Rule, Suppression Hearings, Third-Party Consent to Search

415 U.S. 164 94 S.Ct. 988 39 L.Ed.2d 242 UNITED STATES v. MATLOCK. No. 72-1355.Supreme Court of United States.Argued December 10-11, 1973.Decided February 20, 1974. CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT. Deputy Solicitor General Wallace argued the cause for the United States. On the brief were Solicitor General Bork, Assistant Attorney […]

Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284 (1973)

Issues: Due Process Clause, Due Process of Law, Evidence Law, Fourteenth Amendment, Hearsay Rule

410 U.S. 284 93 S.Ct. 1038 35 L.Ed.2d 297 Leon CHAMBERS, Petitioner, v. State of MISSISSIPPI. No. 71?5908. Argued Nov. 15, 1972. Decided Feb. 21, 1973. Counsel: Peter Westen for petitioner, pro hac vice, by special leave of Court. Timmie Hancock, Meadville, Miss., for respondent. [hr] Syllabus After petitioner was arrested for murder, another person […]

Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973)

Issues: Abortion, Contraceptives, Due Process of Law, Fourteenth Amendment, Gender Equality

410 U.S. 179 93 S.Ct. 739 35 L.Ed.2d 201 Mary DOE et al., Appellants, v. Arthur K. BOLTON, as Attorney General of the State of Georgia, et al. No. 70?40. Argued Dec. 13, 1971. Reargued Oct. 11, 1972. Decided Jan. 22, 1973. Rehearing Denied Feb. 26, 1973. See 410 U.S. 959, 93 S.Ct. 1410. Counsel: […]

Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)

Issues: Abortion, Civil Rights, Due Process of Law, Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, Gender Equality

410 U.S. 113 93 S.Ct. 705 35 L.Ed.2d 147 Jane ROE, et al., Appellants, v. Henry WADE. No. 70-18. Argued Dec. 13, 1971. Reargued Oct. 11, 1972. Decided Jan. 22, 1973. Rehearing Denied Feb. 26, 1973. See 410 U.S. 959, 93 S.Ct. 1409. Counsel: Sarah R. Weddington, Austin, Tex., for appellants. Robert C. Flowers, Asst. […]

PAPACHRISTOU v. CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, 405 U.S. 156 (1972)

Issues: Constitutional Law, Due Process Clause, Fifth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, Void for Vagueness Doctrine

405 U.S. 156 92 S.Ct. 839 31 L.Ed.2d 110 Margaret PAPACHRISTOU et al., Petitioners,v.CITY OF JACKSONVILLE. No. 70?5030. Argued Dec. 8, 1971. Decided Feb. 24, 1972. Syllabus The Jacksonville vagrancy ordinance, under which petitioners were convicted, is void for vagueness, in that it ‘fails to give a person of ordinary intelligence fair notice that his […]

Palmer v. Thompson, 403 U.S. 217 (1971)

Issues: Civil Rights, Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, Racial Segregation

403 U.S. 217 91 S.Ct. 1940 29 L.Ed.2d 438 Hazel PALMER et al., Petitioners, v. Allen C. THOMPSON, Mayor, City of Jackson, et al. No. 107. Argued Dec. 14, 1970. Decided June 14, 1971. Counsel: Paul A. Rosen, Detroit, Mich., and William M. Kunstler, New York City, for petitioners. William F. Goodman, Jr., Jackson, Miss., […]