ConLaw Final: Cases

CASE DETAILS ONLY! Intended to help memorize names, only includes classes 15-19

Minnick v Mississippi

Defendant arrested for murder and interrogated by federal Officials

Requested an attorney, got one, they consulted

Local sheriff interviewed him after speaking to his attorney, did not notify attorney

Confessed, convicted, sentenced to death

New York v Quarles

Apprehended a r*pe suspect believed to be armed - chased suspect into store

Arrested suspect and found an empty gun holster

Officer asked “where did you toss the gun?”, Quarles responded “it’s over there”

Bolling v Sharpe

Washington DC law mandated Segregation in Public Schools (Federal)

Black students challenged the Federal DC Law

Brown v Board of Education

Kansas (and other states) mandated segregation in public schools

Family challenged the law as their daughter was mandated to travel a longer distance to attend an all black school

US v Windsor

Congress enacted “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA) which denied equal rights to same sex couples

Same sex couple married in NY in 2008, partner died and left her estate to partner

Applied for Federal Estate tax exception for spouses- was denied

Obergefell v Hodges

Several states made it illegal for same sex couples to get married, couples did not have the same protections/rights as traditional couples

Several couples in various states sued= various rulings throughout the country

In re Gault

15 y/o charged with making obscene calls, did not get a lawyer and was not advised of rights

Was not allowed to confront witnesses, recieved six years in prison

Goss v Lopez

9 kids suspended for 10 days in Ohio for destroying school property, they did not get a hearing or a right to appeal

Klopfer v North Carolina

Duke professor protesting segregation was arrested for trespass at a restaurant

Jurors did not reach a verdict, mistrial declared, the prosecution put the case on hold indefinitely

He was held in limbo for over two terms, his motion to dismiss was denied

Barker v Wingo

Defendant charged in Kentucky for killing couple in home, prosecution wanted the codefendant first

Trial delayed 17 times for over 5 years, failed to object to 17 continuances

Doggett v United States

Indicted on federal drug charges, warrant sent out, he fled the country and got arrested in Panama

The govt. knew he was there and did not follow up, he eventually moved back to the US and lived for 6 years before being arrested

In re Oliver

Defendant ordered to testify for a grand jury on gambling in Michigan, it was a one man magistrate held in secret to investigate his crimes

Testified in front of the judge, the judge decided he was evasive and convicted and sentenced him to 60 days

Sheppard v Maxwell

Doctor charged with killing his pregnant wife, high publicity case, media frenzy

Convicted and argued he did not get a fair trial, media had aired charges not related to the murder and published a list of jurors (who were then harassed)

Gannet Co. v DePasquale

3 men went fishing, 2 came back, there were bullet holes in the boat

In the pre-trial the defendants moved for exclude the press/public, the motion was granted. Newspaper requested the court transcript and they were denied

Press was banned from pre-trial

Richmond Newspapers Inc. v Virginia

A hotel manager killed a resident, he was arrested, murder trial ended in 3 mistrials

Defendant requests a closed trial for the 4th, judge closed courtroom to the public and press

Duncan v Louisiana

Black teenager was arrested for slapping a white teenager, charged with a misdemeanor (max 2 years), requested an impartial jury trial, found guilty and sentenced to 60 days in jail (court trial)

Williams v Florida

State law allowed for a 6 person jury on cases, defendant charged with robbery and convicted - sentenced to life in prison

Ballew v Georgia

5 member jury

Apodaca v Oregon

Charged with assault with a deadly weapon, Oregon law allowed for a conviction with 10/12 jurors, defendant convicted 11-1 guilty

Ramos v Louisiana

Defendant convicted of murder on a 10-2 verdict, appealed

Parker v Gladden

Convicted of murder in Oregon

Bailiff made a comment to a juror, “Oh that wicked fellow…he is guilty”

Batson v Kentucky

DA excluded the only 4 black jurors, and then all white jury convicted a black defendant of burglary

Powers v Ohio

DA excluded all the black jurors, even though the defendant was white, and was convicted by an all white jury

Pointer v Texas

Accused of robbing a 7/11, the victim testified at prelim, defendant had no attorney

At trial, pros used the transcript of testimony since the victim moved away

Coy v Iowa

Defendant charged with SA on a minor (13), State law allowed a screen to be placed between the victim and defendant, you can’t see through it, only hear

Maryland v Craig

Charged with SA on a minor, court determined client suffered trauma and couldn’t face defendant, testimony presented by live TV so the minor could not see the jury or defendant, defendant and jury could watch her, minor was in a different room with the attorney’s judge

Washington v Texas

Man attempted to call his codefendant at trial as a defense witness - Charged with murder, State law prohibited this because they believed one defendant would lie for another

US v Nixon

Watergate Scandal: 7 White House officials indicted, 5 men broke into the DNC to get itel, liked by the Administration - indicted

The court ordered him to turn over the recordings, he claimed executive privilege and argued for the separation of powers

Johnson v Zerbst

Convicted of Federal crime (counterfeit $), convicted at trial without an attorney, appealed on 6th - right to counsel

Powell v Alabama

The “Scottsboro Boys” 9 young black men accused of r*ping two white women on a train in Alabama, court appointed attorney’s since they could not afford one, they had limited contact with clients and showed up right before trial = convicted and sentenced to death

One day trial

Gideon v Wainwright

Ex-felon charged with burglary of a bar in Florida, requested lawyer at trial (no $) and got denied, convicted at trial without a lawyer and sentenced to 5 years in prison

Argersinger v Hamlin

Charged in Florida for carrying a concealed weapon- Misdemeanor, max 6 months in jail, he was convicted and received 90 days in jail without an attorney

US v Salerno

Reviewed Bail Reform Act, detained prior to trial if “potentially dangerous”, he was arrested on racketeering charges - family crime boss in mafia

In re Humphrey

63-year-old man followed neighbor into his house, threatened him, demanded $, stole cologne

Charged w Robbery/Burglary, $350K bail, prosecution argued flight risk (3rd striker) and danger to community, defendant argued court should consider “ability to pay”

Not considering ability: pretrial detention order is similar to no bail

Austin v US

Defendant convicted of selling cocaine in South Dakota, Federal govt seized his mobile home and auto-body shop - civil forfeiture

Troy v Dulles

Private in the military went AWOL in Morocco - arrested, sentenced, dishonorable discharged

Fed law allowed govt to take away citizenship post conviction

Robinson v California

State statute criminalized being addicted to drugs (Illegal to be”addicted to the use of narcotics”), Defendant stopped, officer noticed track marks, arrested. Convicted and sentenced to 90 days

Rummel v Estelle

Texas law- 3 felony convictions = automatic life sentence, defendant had 3 felony convictions for fraud (checks) totaling $289, sentenced to life with parole

Solem v Helm

Defendant arrested in South Dakota for passing a bad check of $100, had six priors for non violent felonies, received LWOP

Lockyer v Andrade

CA 3 Strikes law (2 prior serious/violent felonies = life w/parole on the 3rd)

Defendant stole 5 children videos from kmart for his 3 children, charged with felony theft, convicted and recieved 50 to life

Furman v Georgia

Defendant commits armed burglary in a house, confronted by owner and kills him, defendant was black, victim white, jury imposed death penalty

Gregg v Georgia

Defendant convicted on 2 counts of robbery and murder, newly enacted laws allowed bifurcated trials (Guilt phase and penalty phase), allowed for mitigating and aggravating factors

Coker v Georgia

R*ped an “adult” (16, adult by state law) woman, given the death penalty

Kennedy v Louisiana

R*pe of a child, given death penalty

Enmund v Florida

Getaway driver, 2 codefendants robbed a house and killed a couple, driver given death penalty

Tison v Arizona

3 brothers break dad out of prison using weapons, they bring a cooler full of revolvers and shotguns, killed a family who helped them with a flat tire (the brothers watched), death penalty

Palko v Connecticut

Defendant convicted of 2nd degree for killing a cop, tried again and was convicted of 1st degree, executed

Meyer v Nebraska

State law prohibited teaching other languages (WWI, fear of Germany), defendant was teacher of german in local school, cited and convicted $25 fine

Griswold v Connecticut

State law prohibited couples from using any contraception, challenged by clinic

Bowers v Hardwick

Georgia law prohibited sodomy between homosexuals, officer served invalid search warrant on defendant’s residence, entered bedroom and founds two same sex adults in consensual act, Arrested and convicted

Lawrence v Texas

State law prohibits “sexual intimacy” between same sex couples, jealous ex-boyfriend calls police about “person with a gun” in the apt, there was no gun he wanted revernge, cops entered house and found defendants engaged in s*x

Arrested for sodomy, pled, and fined

Roe v Wade

Defendant lived in Texas and wanted an abortion (3rd child), sued DA in her county

Planned Parenthood of Southern Pennsylvania v Casey

State law required a waiting period and spoual notice for abortion and parental consent

Whole Women’s Health v Hellerstedt

State attempted to curb abortion clinics by mandating strict requirements to uprade facilities and have doctors admitted to hospital within 30 miles

Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Org

Mississippi law banned abortions after 15 weeks, clinic was an abortion only clinic and was sued by the state

Plessy v Ferguson

Lousiana law mandated segregated railcars for people of color