Serious Supreme Court Cases

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Serious Supreme Court Cases

Poll

The Supreme Court of the United States has to make important decisions such as, is a tomato considered a vegetable or a fruit? La Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos tiene que tomar decisiones importantes como, ¿se considera un tomate una verdura o una fruta?

• Vegetable

• Fruit

Nix v. Hedden (1893)

• The Tariff Act of 1883 required a tax to be paid on all imported vegetables.

• John Nix & Co. filed a suit against Edward Hedden, Collector of the Port of New York, arguing that he should recover his duties paid for importing vegetables.

• Nix argued that the tomatoes he was importing were botanically a fruit due to its seed-bearing structure.

Nix v. Hedden (1893)

The Supreme Court decided unanimously that a tomato is to be classified as a vegetable under customs regulations. 

Poll

Can a person be charged under a federal chemical weapons law by poisoning another person? ¿Puede una persona ser acusada bajo una ley federal de armas químicas por envenenar a otra persona?

• Yes

• No

Bond v. United States (2014)

• Carol Anne Bond discovered that her friend, Myrlinda Haynes, was pregnant and that Bond’s husband was the father.

• To get revenge on Haynes, Bond used her connections with the chemical company she works for to obtain highly toxic chemicals. 

• She stole and purchased these chemicals and applied them to Haynes’ doorknobs, car door handles, and mailbox. 

Bond v. United States (2014)

• Fortunately, Haynes only suffered a minor burn and after contacting a federal investigator, Bond was identified as the perpetrator. 

• Bond was charged with several violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act of 1998, a federal law. 

• Bond argued that Congress did not have the authority to enforce the act because it subverted states’ rights in violation to the Tenth Amendment. 

Bond v. United (2014)

The Supreme Court determined that federal law typically does not intrude on the ability of states to regulate local matters; however, Bond was still sentenced to six years in prison. 

Poll

Does a patent holder have to use their patent? ¿El titular de una patente tiene que usar su patente?

• Yes

• No

• Why would they not use their own patent?

Continental Paper Bag Co. v. Eastern Paper Bag Co. (1908)

• Eastern Paper Bag Co. obtained a patent for a “self-opening” paper bag; however, they decided not to put their “self-opening” paper bag into production.

• Their competitor, Continental Paper Bag Co., alleged that Eastern Paper Bag Co. was not using their patent and was just simply trying to suppress competition. 

Continental Paper Bag Co. v. Eastern Paper Bag Co. (1908)

The Supreme Court ruled that a patent owner does not have to use their patent unless the patent is for the public good. 

Poll

Can a school principal confiscate a banner that reads, "Bong hits 4 Jesus" from a student at a school sponsored event? ¿Puede el director de una escuela confiscar una pancarta que dice "Bong hits 4 Jesus" de un estudiante en un evento patrocinado por la escuela?

• Yes

• No

• I see nothing wrong with the banner.

Morse v. Frederick (2007)

• At a school-supervised event, Joseph Frederick held up a banner with the message, “Bong Hits 4 Jesus”. 

• Principal Deborah Morse took away the banner and suspended Frederick. She justified her actions by citing the school’s policy against the display of material that promotes the use of illegal drugs.

Morse v. Frederick (2007)

• Frederick sued alleging that his First Amendment right to freedom of speech was violated. 

• The District Court found no constitutional violation and ruled in favor of Morse. However, the decision was reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 

• The Ninth Circuit cited the Tinker v. Des Moines decision, which extended the First Amendment protection to student speech except where the speech would cause a disturbance. 

Morse v. Frederick (2007)

• Since Frederick was punished for his message rather than any disturbance, the Circuit Court ruled, the punishment was unconstitutional. 

• The Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit ruling by a 5-4 vote, ruling that school officials can prohibit students from displayed messages that promote illegal drug use.

Morse v. Frederick (2007)

Chief Justice Roberts’s majority opinion held that although students do have some right to political speech even while in school, this right does not extend to pro-drug messages.