List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 285 explained

Location:Washington, D.C.
Type:Presidential nomination with Senate confirmation
Authority:Constitution of the United States, Art. III, §1
Terms:life tenure, subject to impeachment and removal
Positions:9 (by statute)

This is a list of cases reported in volume 285 of United States Reports, decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1932.

Justices of the Supreme Court at the time of volume 285 U.S.

See also: List of justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.

See also: List of United States Supreme Court justices by time in office.

See also: List of justices of the Supreme Court of the United States by court composition.

The Supreme Court is established by Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States, which says: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court . . .". The size of the Court is not specified; the Constitution leaves it to Congress to set the number of justices. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 Congress originally fixed the number of justices at six (one chief justice and five associate justices).[1] Since 1789 Congress has varied the size of the Court from six to seven, nine, ten, and back to nine justices (always including one chief justice).

When the cases in volume 285 were decided the Court comprised the following nine members:

PortraitJusticeOfficeHome StateSucceededDate confirmed by the Senate
(Vote)
Tenure on Supreme Court
Charles Evans HughesChief JusticeNew YorkWilliam Howard Taft
(52–26)


June 30, 1941
(Retired)
Willis Van DevanterAssociate JusticeWyomingEdward Douglass White (as Associate Justice)
(Acclamation)


June 2, 1937
(Retired)
James Clark McReynoldsAssociate JusticeTennesseeHorace Harmon Lurton
(44–6)


January 31, 1941
(Retired)
Louis BrandeisAssociate JusticeMassachusettsJoseph Rucker Lamar
(47–22)


February 13, 1939
(Retired)
George SutherlandAssociate JusticeUtahJohn Hessin Clarke
(Acclamation)


January 17, 1938
(Retired)
Pierce ButlerAssociate JusticeMinnesotaWilliam R. Day
(61–8)


November 16, 1939
(Died)
Harlan F. StoneAssociate JusticeNew YorkJoseph McKenna
(71–6)


July 2, 1941
(Continued as chief justice)
Owen RobertsAssociate JusticePennsylvaniaEdward Terry Sanford
(Acclamation)


July 31, 1945
(Resigned)
Benjamin N. CardozoAssociate JusticeNew YorkOliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
(Acclamation)


July 9, 1938
(Died)

Notable Cases in 285 U.S.

Crowell v. Benson

Crowell v. Benson, 285 U.S. 22 (1932), is a landmark Supreme Court administrative law decision that outlined the adjudicatory authority of administrative agencies under Article III of the Constitution. The Court held that the United States Employees' Compensation Commission satisfied Fifth Amendment Due Process, and the requirements of Article III with its court-like procedures and because it invests the final power of decision in Article III courts.

Smiley v. Holm, Secretary of State of Minnesota

Smiley v. Holm, Secretary of State of Minnesota, 285 U.S. 355 (1932), involved a governor's power to veto a congressional redistricting proposal passed by a state's legislature. The Supreme Court unanimously held that the U.S. Constitution did not prohibit a state governor from vetoing his or her state's redistricting map.

Federal court system

See also: United States district court.

See also: United States court of appeals.

See also: United States federal courts. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789 the federal court structure at the time comprised District Courts, which had general trial jurisdiction; Circuit Courts, which had mixed trial and appellate (from the US District Courts) jurisdiction; and the United States Supreme Court, which had appellate jurisdiction over the federal District and Circuit courts—and for certain issues over state courts. The Supreme Court also had limited original jurisdiction (i.e., in which cases could be filed directly with the Supreme Court without first having been heard by a lower federal or state court). There were one or more federal District Courts and/or Circuit Courts in each state, territory, or other geographical region.

The Judiciary Act of 1891 created the United States Courts of Appeals and reassigned the jurisdiction of most routine appeals from the district and circuit courts to these appellate courts. The Act created nine new courts that were originally known as the "United States Circuit Courts of Appeals." The new courts had jurisdiction over most appeals of lower court decisions. The Supreme Court could review either legal issues that a court of appeals certified or decisions of court of appeals by writ of certiorari. On January 1, 1912, the effective date of the Judicial Code of 1911, the old Circuit Courts were abolished, with their remaining trial court jurisdiction transferred to the U.S. District Courts.

List of cases in volume 285 U.S.

See also: Hughes Court.

Case nameCitationOpinion of the CourtVoteConcurring opinion or statementDissenting opinion or statementProcedural jurisdictionResult
Burnet, Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Chicago Portrait Company285 U.S. 1 (1932)Hughes9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (7th Cir.)judgment affirmed
Crowell v. Benson285 U.S. 22 (1932)Hughes6-3noneBrandeis (opinion; joined by Stone and Roberts) certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.)decree affirmed
Hurley, Secretary of War v. Kincaid285 U.S. 95 (1932)Brandeis9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.)judgment reversed with direction to dismiss the bill without prejudice
Packer Corporation v. Utah285 U.S. 105 (1932)Brandeis9-0nonenoneappeal from the Utah Supreme Court (Utah)judgment affirmed
St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company v. Bachmann285 U.S. 112 (1932)Brandeis8-1noneMcReynolds (without opinion) certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (4th Cir.)judgment reversed
Western Distributing Company v. Kansas Public Service Commission285 U.S. 119 (1932)Roberts9-0nonenoneappeal from the United States District Court for the District of Kansas (D. Kan.)the judgment of the court below was right and it is affirmed
Galveston Wharf Company v. Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway Company285 U.S. 127 (1932)Hughes9-0nonenonecertiorari to the Texas Supreme Court (Tex.)judgment affirmed
Burnet, Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Leininger285 U.S. 136 (1932)Hughes9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (6th Cir.)decree reversed
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company v. Temple285 U.S. 143 (1932)Hughes9-0nonenonecertiorari to the South Carolina Supreme Court (S.C.) judgment reversed, and cause remanded
Eastern Air Transport, Inc. v. South Carolina Tax Commission285 U.S. 147 (1932)Hughes9-0nonenoneappeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina (E.D.S.C.)decree affirmed
Daniel v. Guaranty Trust Company of New York285 U.S. 154 (1932)McReynolds9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (8th Cir.)decree affirmed
Leach v. Nichols, Former Collector of Internal Revenue285 U.S. 165 (1932)McReynolds9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (1st Cir.)judgment affirmed
Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company v. Bunn285 U.S. 169 (1932)McReynolds9-0nonenoneappeal from the Mississippi Supreme Court (Miss.)appeal dismissed
Bowers v. Lawyers Mortgage Company285 U.S. 182 (1932)Butler9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.)judgment reversed
United States v. Home Title Insurance Company285 U.S. 191 (1932)Butler9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.)judgment affirmed
Stevens v. The White City285 U.S. 195 (1932)Butler9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.)judgment affirmed
D. Ginsberg and Sons, Inc. v. Popkin285 U.S. 204 (1932)Butler9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.)judgment affirmed
Aetna Casualty and Surety Company v. Phoenix National Bank and Trust Company285 U.S. 209 (1932)Stone9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (6th Cir.)judgment reversed
Lamb v. Cramer285 U.S. 217 (1932)Stone9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.)judgment affirmed
Lamb v. Schmitt285 U.S. 222 (1932)Stone9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (5th Cir.)judgment affirmed
Shearer v. Burnet, Commissioner of Internal Revenue285 U.S. 228 (1932)Stone9-0nonenonecertiorari to the Boston Municipal Court (Boston Mun. Ct.)judgment affirmed
Boston and Maine Railroad Company v. Armburg285 U.S. 234 (1932)Stone9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.)judgment affirmed
Southern Pacific Company v. United States285 U.S. 240 (1932)Roberts9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Claims (Ct. Cl.)judgment reversed, and cause remanded
American Trading Company v. H.E. Heacock Company285 U.S. 247 (1932)Hughes8-0[a]nonenonecertiorari to the Supreme Court of the Philippines (Phil.)judgment affirmed
New State Ice Company v. Liebmann285 U.S. 262 (1932)Sutherland6-2[a]noneBrandeis (opinion; joined by Stone) appeal from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (10th Cir.)decree affirmed
Heiner, Collector of Internal Revenue v. Donnan285 U.S. 312 (1932)Sutherland6-2[a]noneStone (opinion; joined by Brandeis) certified questions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (3d Cir.)certified questions answered
Handy, Collector of Internal Revenue v. Delaware Trust Company285 U.S. 352 (1932)Sutherland6-2[a]noneBrandeis and Stone (without opinions) certified question from the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (3d Cir.)certified question answered
Smiley v. Holm, Secretary of State of Minnesota285 U.S. 355 (1932)Hughes8-0[a]nonenonecertiorari to the Minnesota Supreme Court (Minn.)judgment reversed, and cause remanded
Koenig v. Flynn, Secretary of State of New York285 U.S. 375 (1932)Hughes8-0[a]nonenonecertiorari to the New York Supreme Court (N.Y. Sup. Ct.)judgment affirmed
Carroll v. Becker, Secretary of State of Missouri285 U.S. 380 (1932)Hughes8-0[a]nonenonecertiorari to the Missouri Supreme Court (Mo.)judgment affirmed
Claiborne-Annapolis Ferry Company v. United States285 U.S. 382 (1932)McReynolds8-0[a]nonenoneappeal from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (D.D.C.)decree affirmed
Burnet, Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Coronado Oil and Gas Company285 U.S. 393 (1932)McReynolds5-4noneStone (opinion; joined by Brandeis, Roberts, and Cardozo); Brandeis (opinion; joined by Stone and Roberts) certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Cir.)judgment affirmed
Canada Malting Company v. Paterson Steamships, Ltd.285 U.S. 413 (1932)Brandeis8-0[a]nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.)judgment affirmed
United States v. Limehouse285 U.S. 424 (1932)Brandeis7-1[a]noneMcReynolds (without opinion) appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina (E.D.S.C.)judgment reversed
Hagner v. United States285 U.S. 427 (1932)Sutherland9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Cir.)judgment affirmed
Coombes v. Getz285 U.S. 434 (1932)Sutherland6-3noneCardozo (opinion; joined by Brandeis and Stone) certiorari to the California Supreme Court (Cal.)decree reversed
United States v. Lefkowitz285 U.S. 452 (1932)Butler8-0[a]nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.)judgment affirmed
Shriver v. Woodbine Savings Bank285 U.S. 467 (1932)Stone9-0nonenoneappeal from the Iowa Supreme Court (Iowa)judgment affirmed
Pacific Company v. Johnson285 U.S. 480 (1932)Stone6-3noneSutherland (opinion; with which VanDevanter and Butler concurred) appeal from the California Supreme Court (Cal.)judgment affirmed
Spencer Kellogg and Sons, Inc. v. Hicks285 U.S. 502 (1932)Roberts7-1[a]Brandeis and Stone (joint short statement) Sutherland (short statement) certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2d Cir.)decree reversed, and cause remanded
Callahan v. United States285 U.S. 515 (1932)Roberts9-0nonenonecertiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (3d Cir.)judgment affirmed
United States v. Scharton285 U.S. 518 (1932)Roberts9-0nonenoneappeal from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts (D. Mass.)judgment affirmed

[a] Cardozo took no part in the case

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Supreme Court Research Guide . 7 April 2021 . Georgetown Law Library.