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  Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios Inc.   Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios Inc. was an important 1984 Supreme Court case which allowed for the sale of the VCR to continue unimpeded. The case had its origins in the development of the Betamax cassette, which was introduced to the market in the 1970s by Sony. The technology al..

  Sparf v. United States: The Background Sparf v. United States was a landmark case in which the United States Supreme Court held that federal judges were not required to brief jurors of their inherent ability to review the laws of the case in question. The decision of Sparf v. United States was rendered by a five to four ruling, with two dissenting opinions. Th..

  Sporhase v. Nebraska ex rel. Douglas   It can be tough to untangle the web of rules that makes up the modern interpretation of the Interstate Commerce clause.  In Sporhase v. Nebraska ex rel. Douglas, a law in the state of Nebraska was challenged at the Supreme Court level.  This law, which pertained to withdrawing groundwater in the state o..

Stephen J. Gould’s Mesothelioma CaseWho is Stephen J. Gould?Stephen J. Gould was an American evolutionary biologist, paleontologist and historian of science. Mr. Gould is regarded as one of the most influential writers and minds of popular science. Gould spent the majority of his career working at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and teaching at Harvard..

Steve McQueen Mesothelioma CaseBorn on March 24th of 1930, Steve McQueen was a famous American movie actor. Nicknamed “The King of Cool” McQueen developed an “anti-hero” personality during the height of the Vietnam counterculture. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination for his leading role in the Film The Sand Pebbles. In addition to acting, McQueen was an avid ra..

  Storer v. Brown   Ballot access is critical to the formation of political parties in the United States.  However, getting ballot access can be particularly difficult for independent candidates and third parties.  In the state of California, the case of Storer v. Brown began because four candidates were kept off the ballot due to a state stat..

  Strawbridge v. Curtiss: The Background The case of Strawbridge v. Curtiss was initially filed before the Circuit Court for the District of Massachusetts. The Plaintiff in Strawbridge v. Curtiss was from Massachusetts while one of the defendants was a citizen of Vermont (the rest of the defendants were Massachusetts citizens). The case of Strawbridge v. Cur..

  Stuart v. Laird  The 1803 Supreme Court case of Stuart v. Laird was a crucial case in the evolution of the judiciary branch of the United States government. The case of Stuart v. Laird began with a breach of contract case that was scheduled to be heard in a Virginia federal circuit court. The lawsuit was filed by John Laird against Hugh Stuart in 1801. Ho..

  Swift & Co. v. United States: Background The case of Swift & Co. v. United States was decided in 1904 by the United States Supreme Court. Swift & Co. v. United States started with the development of a “meat trust” in Chicago. This trust brought together major dealers of meet in the city to agree not to bid against each other to bett..

  Takao Ozawa v. United States: The Background Takao Ozawa v. United States was a landmark Supreme Court Case that found Takao Ozawa, a Japanese male, ineligible for naturalization. Naturalization refers to the acquisition of citizenship by an individual who was not a citizen of the country at their time of birth. In general, basic requirements for naturaliz..

  Talbot v. Janson: The Background The case of Talbot v. Janson was a matter tried before the Supreme Court of the United States. The Supreme Court, in this case, held that the jurisdiction of the court system extended to the open waters and seas and that citizens of the United States may also hold the citizenship of other nations. The case of Talbot v. Jans..

  Tennessee v. Lane   The 11th Amendment of the United States Constitution gives “sovereign immunity” to federal and state governments.  What this means is that unless the government has waived its right not to be sued, individuals cannot file a lawsuit directly against their state or federal government.  Tennessee v. Lane was base..

  United States v. Carolene Products Co. Background: The case of United States v. Carolene Products Co. was formally decided by the United States Supreme Court on April 2th of 1938. The case of United States v. Carolene Products Co. dealt with a federal law that outlawed filled milk (skimmed milk that is compounded with oil or fat other than milk fat) from being..

  What is United States v. Cruikshank? United States v. Cruikshank was a landmark Supreme Court case that was decided during the height of Reconstruction in the South. To render a decision, the Court opted for a precise reading of the Fourteenth Amendment and refused to expand federal jurisdiction. The case of United States v. Cruikshank revolved around a ho..

  United States v. E. C. Knight Co.: The Background The case of United States v. E. C. Knight Co. began when Congress passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in 1890. This landmark piece of legislation was passed in response to the public concern in the growth of large combinations of industry, transportation and commerce. The Sherman Anti-Trust Act aimed to halt the ..