Case Law and Supreme Court Decisions

A collection of vocabulary flashcards summarizing key Supreme Court cases and concepts related to criminal law.

Papachristou v City of Jacksonville (1972)

Ruled that the ordinance making it a crime to be a vagrant was invalid due to vagueness, granting complete discretion to law enforcement.

City of Chicago v Morales (1999)

Found law allowing police to disperse gang members was unconstitutional because terms 'gang members' and 'loitering' were too subjective.

Desertrain v City of LA (2014)

Supreme Court ruled that prohibiting using a vehicle as living quarters was constitutionally vague.

Coker v Georgia (1977)

Held that it is unconstitutional to impose the death penalty for non-homicide crimes. (coker raped a woman)

Kennedy v Louisiana (2008)

Ruled that executing someone for raping a child constituted disproportionate punishment.

Roper v Simmons (2005)

Decided that it is cruel and unusual punishment to execute juvenile defendants.

Rummel v Estelle

Supreme Court granted deference to states in punishing repeat offenders more harshly. (eligible for parole)

Solem v Helm

Found it unconstitutional for a life without parole sentence for a minor crime given multiple prior felonies.

Harmelin v Michigan

Held that life sentences are valid even if penalties can be cruel, as long as they are not unusual. (600 g of coke w/out priors)

Ewing v California

Supported California's three strikes law, validating harsh penalties under the Harmelin analysis. (stole expensive golf clubs)

In re Winship

Established that prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. (was proven by a pre ponderous doubt before)

Mullaney v Wilbur

Ruled that the prosecution must prove every element of the crime, violating due process if not. (assumption of malice, “frenzy”)

Patterson v New York

Patterson killed a man who was with his estranged wife, saw them together through a window

Ruled that proof of being under emotional distress (through production and persuasion) required (not addressing part of an element)

Martin v Ohio

Validated the requirement of proving self-defense under Ohio law, indicating it is an element needing proof. (did not switch burden with the elemetns of the offense)

Montana v Egelhoff

Held that intoxication is not a defense in criminal law. (killed two while intoxicated)

Sandstrom v Montana

Ruled unconstitutional for a law to presume an element of intent, violating a defendant’s rights. (assumed Sandstorm intended consequences when he cited his mental health&alch)

County Court of Ulster County v Allen

Permissive presumption allowed in charging individuals with knowledge of guns in a vehicle.

People v Decina

discusses narrow v broad time frames when looking at this case, epileptic attack while driving and killed

Robinson v California

Ruled unconstitutional for California to punish status as a narcotic addict under the 8th and 14th Amendments.

Powell v Texas

Confirmed that public drunkenness is punishable, differentiating between voluntary acts and status.

Grants Pass v Johnson

Valid law prohibiting the use of blankets and boxes for sleeping in public, upheld content neutrality.

People v Beardsley

Established there is no legal duty to aid a person in danger unless a duty exists.

Regina v Cunningham

Found that reckless intent must be proven in cases of harmful consequences from voluntary acts. (gas meter and gas leak)

Holdridge v United States

defendant on air force base protest war, said government failed to prove mens rea

supreme court: strict liability

Morissette v US

morissette kept spent bombs thinking they were garbage, convicted on strict liability

supreme court reversed conviction: common law larceny (theft of personal propert) always needed a knowledge element

US v Balint (public welfare)

drug manufacturer charged violating the federal narcotic act (selling opium), argued they didn’t know their product had opium

supreme court: federal narcotics act was valid, we could omit a knowledge element for public safety

Regina v Prince

prince took 14-year old away from her father thinking she was 18 (reasonably)

court: under struct liability, mistake of her age wasn’t a defense

Lambart v CA

Ms Labart convicted and didn’t know she had to register in LA as a felon, arrested and government argues strict liability

supreme court: knowledge was a requirement for a notice offense, court would not apply strict liability standard

Miller v Commonwealth

probation officer said muzzle loaded rifle was ok to possess as a felon

court: miller wasn’t charged because he was mislead

State v Wickliff

failure of proof example

bail bondsman thinks he had legal right to enter premises to look for fugitive, relied on bail contract, charged with trespass

statute: knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters any structure

supreme court: He was mistaken about a different law, and it negated an element of “knowing”

Cheeks v US

criminal statute unclear example, mistake of law

Failed to pay income taxes based on attorney advice AND unclear IRC code

act has to be willful, so mistake was a defense

People v Armitage

driving boat drunk and flips it, friend swims away against drivers advice and drowns, driver charged with death

liable, reasonable that if you flip a boat someone will try to swim away

People v Schmies

fled on motorcycle and officer gave chase, officer crashed and died

liable, reasonable that someone would crash during rush hour on 405 at 5 pm

US v Hamilton

Defendant beats up victim and stomps on head, he is treated at the hospital

Nasal tubes inserted to breath. Nurse forgot to restrain patient, and he pulled them out and suffocated and fled

defendant was liable, even though he wasn’t there when victim died

People v Goetz

White defendant shot four black unarmed teens when they asked for money

defendant had been mugged prior

verdict: not guilty on attempted murder, honest and reasonable

State v Wanrow

ms wanrow on crutches, shot and killed large intoxicated man in her home, suspected of molesting her son, argument

trial instruction: “Directed to consider only those acts and circumstances occurring “at or immediately before the killing””—> convicted of 2nd degree murder

supreme court: reversed, self-defense should be considered in light of all the circumstances known

State v Elllis

defendant wanted to had introduce into evidence that victim habitually carried weapons, trial excluded that

supreme court: reversed, information goes to reasonableness of the defendant’s motive

People v Ceballos

ceballos booby trapped house, teen shot, conviction held (no discretion and zero threat to owner if not home)

Tennesse v Garner

officer shot unarmed burglar (garner) trying to escape in back of head; family filed civil lawsuit

supreme court: not justified on an unarmed fleeing felon unless officer reasonably believes person is threat to cause GBI or death

Scott v Harris

high speed pursuit, officer scott ran suspect off road and suspect was injured

supreme court: officer action was reasonable, balance interest of both parties, substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death (of innocent bystanders)

Nelson v State

nelson tried to get stuck truck our with government dump truck, said it was necessary

court: necessity not a defense, damage to government owned dump truck worse than having his truck stuck

Regina v Dudley

people eat sick kid on boat, can’t kill an innocent person to save others, necessity not a defense in homicide cases

US v Paolello

convicted in federal court for possessing a firearm as convicted felon, said it was necessary (bar fight with other, took firearm from another)

appellate court: fear was imminent, no reasonable alternative

State v Unger

22 inmate was raped and threatened and officers did nothing, feared for life and escaped

court: conviction reversed, unger entitled to a duress jury instruction

People v Velez

voluntary smoked weed but unaware it had PCP, assaulted, couldn’t use involuntary intoxication as excuse

People v Conley

conly killed girlfriend and her husband, drank for three days before, voluntary intoxication, no heat of passion (cooling off period)t

CA supreme court: reversed, intoxication relevant on issue of a “malice” state of mind

State v Donner

involuntary intoxication: mr donner got club soda at club, woman approached and he left soda with her, left, drank soda, arrested for DUI (xanax) in his blood

court reversed conviction: show it was involuntary, rendered him insane similar to MPC standard

M’Naughten Case

m’naghten murdered a royalty’s secretary

believed the royalty was conspiring to kill him so tried to kill him first (missed and killed secretary)

jury acquitted: he didn’t know what he was doing was wrong

State v Crenshaw

crenshaw thought his wife was unfaithful and believed he could morally kill her under religious faith

supreme court: actions indicated he knew what was morally and legally wrong, not insane

Kahler v Kansas

kahler killed his wife, kids, gma; said it was insanity (didn’t know right from wrong)

kansas law only allowed insanity defense using 1st prong (not knowing the nature and quality of their actions)

supreme court: conviction upheld, each state can decide what is or isn’t insanity

Rosemond vs US

Rosemond and two others went to sell weed, buyer grabs weed and runs, defendant fired shot at buyer, rosemond charged with other’s gun enhancement

supreme court: reversed conviction, knowledge of gun needed, intent to help needed

State v Cotton

Mr. Cotton sent letter to wife encouraging her to persuade daughter not to testify against him; never reached her

not guilty of solicitation, communication needs to reach other party

People v Davis

Davis shot pregnant woman, fetus didn’t survive; charged with murder of fetus, davis said no evidence fetus was viable

supreme court: viability NOT an element, left out the word viable in fetal homicide law

Girouard v State

Mr. Girouard killed wife, during argument wife ridiculed sexual performance and said she filed assault charges against him and wanted a divorce, Mr. Girouard stabbed her to death

conviction of 2nd degree murder upheld: words were not enough for provocation for heat of passion

People v Ogg

ms ogg left her kids locked in their bedroom, no windows and door locked from outside, went to meeting, fire started and kids died from carbon dioxide poisoning

convicted of involuntary manslaughter: legal act committed in a grossly negligent manner, no malice so not murder

People v Mehserle

mehserle was a BART officer, confrontation with mr grant, pulled out firearm thinking it was his taser and shot unarmed mr grant, involuntary manslaughter

conviction upheld: grossly negligent in his actions

Brown v State of Wisconsin (1906)

victim raped walking home by someone she grew ip with

court: prosecution failed to prove resistance to the “utmost”

People v Griffin

griffin convicted of forcible rape, defense wanted to specific jury instruction to define amount of force necessary

supreme court: upheld conviction, no special definition, jury has to decide