United States v. Sisson
Appearance
United States v. Sisson | |
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Argued January 20–21, 1970 Decided June 29, 1970 | |
Full case name | United States v. Sisson |
Citations | 399 U.S. 267 (more) 90 S. Ct. 2117; 26 L. Ed. 2d 608 |
Case history | |
Prior | United States v. Sisson, 297 F. Supp. 902 (D. Mass. 1969) |
Court membership | |
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Case opinions | |
Majority | Harlan, joined by Brennan, Stewart, Marshall; Black (only as to II-C) |
Dissent | Burger, joined by Douglas, White |
Dissent | White, joined by Burger, Douglas |
Blackmun took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. |
United States v. Sisson, 399 U.S. 267 (1970), was a legal case decided by the United States Supreme Court in 1970. The case is related to Selective Service law.[1]
In this case, the jury recorded a verdict of guilt, but the judge then ordered an acquittal.[2] The government appealed, but the Supreme Court held that the government had no power to appeal a verdict of acquittal, no matter how wrong the legal basis was for the acquittal.
Sisson was "the first important case won by a selective conscientious objector", a person who asserted that they were not opposed to serving in a war generally, but objected to serving in a specific war which they believed to be immoral.[3]
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Text of United States v. Sisson, 399 U.S. 267 (1970) is available from: CourtListener Justia Library of Congress Oyez (oral argument audio)