United States v. Sisson
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]
| United States v. Sisson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 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 | |
| |
| 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. | |
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
- United States v. Sisson, 399 U.S. 267 (1970).
- United States v. Sisson, 297 F. Supp. 902 (D. Mass. 1969).
- Thomas Scanlon, Richard B. Brandt, War and Moral Responsibility (1974), p. 167.
External links
- Text of United States v. Sisson, 399 U.S. 267 (1970) is available from: CourtListener Justia Library of Congress Oyez (oral argument audio)
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