Today in Supreme Court History: June 2

Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, 343 U.S. 579 (decided June 2, 1952): President cannot seize private property (steel mills which would cripple Korean War effort due to impending strike; steelworkers were willing to work for the war effort but mill owners sued) without Congressional authorization (Congress had refused to act) (this was just a motion for a preliminary injunction, i.e. the “shadow docket”, but Court decided entire case)

Bond v. United States, 572 U.S. 844 (decided June 2, 2014): international agreement criminalizing chemical weapons as codified by Congress did not apply to vengeful wife who spread toxic chemicals on husband’s car, mailbox and doorknob (give the prosecutor credit for creativity)

Daniel v. Paul, 395 U.S. 298 (decided June 2, 1969): amusement park was not “private club” under exception to Civil Rights Act of 1964 so cannot have segregated snack bar

United States v. Santos, 553 U.S. 507 (decided June 2, 2008): defendant who received commissions from bets in illegal lottery not guilty under money laundering statute which refers only to “proceeds” and defendant did not share in lottery profits

Ann Arbor Railroad Co. v. United States, 281 U.S. 658 (decided June 2, 1930): vacating Interstate Commerce Commission order rejecting rates proposed by railroads for transporting fruit from California because its reasoning was based on wording of a joint resolution of Congress as opposed to standards and procedures set forth in Interstate Commerce Act

Jenkins v. Delaware, 395 U.S. 213 (decided June 2, 1969): Miranda (applicable to trials after June 13, 1966) is not retroactive on retrial where first trial was before that date

Denver First Nat’l Bank v. Klug, 186 U.S. 202 (decided June 2, 1902): involuntary bankruptcy, now rare, allows a creditor to sue the debtor except if the debtor is a farmer (11 U.S.C. §303(a)); here the Court held it had no jurisdiction to review a jury finding of “farmer” for a couple of boring procedural reasons, but I didn’t even know there was such a thing as involuntary bankruptcy until I read this case

Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238 (decided June 2, 1969): death sentence vacated because defendant not questioned about the voluntariness of his guilty plea and defense of hearing on sentencing was cursory; Court could rule on these questions even though not brought up in state court appeal

Capital City Light & Fuel Co. v. Tallahassee, 186 U.S. 401 (decided June 2, 1902): City did not owe business to electric company which was successor in interest after bankruptcy of municipal corporation chartered to provide city with power

Compaigne Francaise De Navigation a Vapeur v. Louisiana State Board of Health, 186 U.S. 380 (decided June 2, 1902): state had power to exclude foreigners from quarantined city despite Constitution giving power to Congress to regulate trade with foreign nations (art. I, §8, cl. 3); Congress could preempt local law but had not acted (I suppose this means there is no “Dormant International Commerce Clause”)