Today in Supreme Court History: May 7

Kelly v. United States, 590 U.S. 391 (decided May 7, 2020): The famous “blocked lanes on the GW Bridge” case which did such political damage to Chris Christie. Here, the Court throws out the wire fraud convictions of the officials who ordered the blocking because causing four days of traffic jams was not ”obtaining money or property” from the Port Authority such as the statute requires.

United States v. Sineneng-Smith, 590 U.S. 371 (decided May 7, 2020: The Ninth Circuit had decided sua sponte to bring in amici to brief whether there was a First Amendment problem with a statute criminalizing the encouragement of illegal immigration, an issue brought up by neither party. The Court held that this was improper and remanded to the Ninth Circuit to decide on the issues actually argued by the parties. (The Court itself is sometimes guilty of this, see e.g. Daimler, January 14.)

General Box Co. v. United States, 351 U.S. 159 (decided May 7, 1956): once a State donates its land to the federal government, the feds don't have to obey State notice procedures when it appropriates timber already grown there by private party

Screws v. United States (aptly named), 325 U.S. 91 (decided May 7, 1945): Defendant sheriff had beaten a black man to death. Conviction under Ku Klux Klan Act vacated because no evidence of intent to deprive victim of his civil rights. (!) Opinion written by William O. Douglas. (!!)

Blanchi v. Morales, 262 U.S. 170 (decided May 7, 1923): Puerto Rico (“Porto Rico”) statute allowing summary foreclosures was Constitutional. Very short opinion; the Court held that it was such a clear and simple question of law that it did not require briefs; it decided on the existing record.