Today in Supreme Court History: February 12

Chambers v. Florida, 309 U.S. 227 (decided February 12, 1940): black suspects (robbery of white man) kept in jail for six days, denied visitors, and subject to persistent questioning, were denied Due Process and confessions were inadmissible

Federal Housing Administration v. Burr, 309 U.S. 242 (decided February 12, 1940): Congressional authority for Federal Housing Administration to “sue and be sued” allows garnishment claim by creditor on FHA employee’s wages

United States v. Fullard-Leo, 331 U.S. 256 (decided February 12, 1947): Court, making its own construction of pre-cession Hawaiian law (saying it was not bound by decisions of Hawaiian courts), analyzes complicated history of chain of title and on the “lost grant” doctrine (similar to adverse possession) awards Palmyra Island (then part of the Territory of Hawaii) to successors in interest and not to the United States (uninhabited except by researchers, it is currently the only “incorporated unorganized territory” of the United States; it’s cold and miserable where I am and I wish I was there now)

McCarrroll v. Dixie Greyhound Lines, 309 U.S. 176 (decided February 12, 1940): Arkansas statute taxing gasoline in excess of 20 gallons in vehicles entering state burdened interstate commerce (i.e., in violation of Dormant Commerce Clause) (how would they measure what’s in the tank?)

State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Duel, 324 U.S. 154 (decided February 12, 1945): Wisconsin requirement that insurers carry substantial reserves from out-of-state customers did not violate Dormant Commerce Clause; statute was designed for the protection of state’s own citizens