Today in Supreme Court History: November 24

Hotel Employees Local 255 v. Leedom, 358 U.S. 99 (decided November 24, 1958): Court here ends the NLRB’s longstanding hands-off policy as to hotels keeping unions out

Kedroff v. St. Nicholas Cathedral of Russian Orthodox Church, 344 U.S. 94 (decided November 24, 1952): striking down on Free Exercise grounds New York statute requiring Russian Orthodox churches to have separate in-state corporate status (as opposed to being administratively subject to Patriarch of Moscow); the opinion contains a history of the disruption caused by the Bolshevik Revolution and Patriarch’s eventual accommodation with the Soviets (the American branch had the right to disassociate when that happened, but it couldn’t be required by law)

Hawkins v. United States, 358 U.S. 74 (decided November 24, 1958): conviction under Mann Act (transporting woman across state boundaries for prostitution) overturned; issue was over the purpose of the trip, and error to allow defendant’s wife to testify against him over his objection (violated common law rule as to spousal testimony, and wife was also a prostitute and had conflict of interest) (Stewart, concurring, calls the rule against spousal testimony “a sentimental relic”) (overruled by Trammel v. United States, 1980, in that spouse can testify against other spouse even if other spouse objects)