Court Cases

Abrams v. United States

Facts: Several counts of an indictment, conspiracy to violate Espionage Act, resistance to the United States in the war with Germany.

Issue of law: prosecuted under Espionage Act.

Good Quote: against President Wilson: "He [the President] is too much of a coward to come out openly and say: 'we capitalistic nations cannot afford to have a proletarian republic in Russia."

Whitney v. California

Facts: memeber of a Socialist Party, a resident of Oakland in Alameda County, California.

Issue of law: plaintiff charged with five accounts for violating the Criminal Syndicalism Act.

Good Quote: "Our power [...] limited not only to the question [...] guaranteed by the Federal Constitution [...] but to the particular claims [...]"

Near v. Minnesota

Facts: punish Near for abusing liberty of the press, Near is protecting his right as a citizen.

Issue of law: protection of the 1st Amendment.

Good Quote: "Liberty of the press is not an absolute right, and the state may punish its abuse (p. 708)."