List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 249

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Supreme Court of the United States
Seal of the United States Supreme Court.svg
EstablishedMarch 4, 1789;234 years ago (1789-03-04)
Location Washington, D.C.
Coordinates 38°53′26″N77°00′16″W / 38.89056°N 77.00444°W / 38.89056; -77.00444 Coordinates: 38°53′26″N77°00′16″W / 38.89056°N 77.00444°W / 38.89056; -77.00444
Composition methodPresidential nomination with Senate confirmation
Authorized by Constitution of the United States, Art. III, § 1
Judge term lengthlife tenure, subject to impeachment and removal
Number of positions9 (by statute)
Website supremecourt.gov

This is a list of cases reported in volume 249 of United States Reports , decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1919.

Contents

Justices of the Supreme Court at the time of volume 249 U.S.

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 249 were decided the Court comprised the following nine members:

PortraitJusticeOfficeHome StateSucceededDate confirmed by the Senate
(Vote)
Tenure on Supreme Court
Edward White, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing slightly left, 1905.jpg Edward Douglass White Chief Justice Louisiana Melville Fuller December 12, 1910
(Acclamation)
December 19, 1910

May 19, 1921
(Died)
Justice McKenna.jpg Joseph McKenna Associate Justice California Stephen Johnson Field January 21, 1898
(Acclamation)
January 26, 1898

January 5, 1925
(Retired)
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr circa 1930-edit.jpg Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Associate Justice Massachusetts Horace Gray December 4, 1902
(Acclamation)
December 8, 1902

January 12, 1932
(Retired)
Justice William R. Day.jpg William R. Day Associate Justice Ohio George Shiras Jr. February 23, 1903
(Acclamation)
March 2, 1903

November 13, 1922
(Retired)
Willis Van Devanter.jpg Willis Van Devanter Associate Justice Wyoming Edward Douglass White (as Associate Justice)December 15, 1910
(Acclamation)
January 3, 1911

June 2, 1937
(Retired)
Mahlon Pitney cph.3b30300.jpg Mahlon Pitney Associate Justice New Jersey John Marshall Harlan March 13, 1912
(50–26)
March 18, 1912

December 31, 1922
(Resigned)
Jamescmcreynolds.jpg James Clark McReynolds Associate Justice Tennessee Horace Harmon Lurton August 29, 1914
(44–6)
October 12, 1914

January 31, 1941
(Retired)
Brandeisl.jpg Louis Brandeis Associate Justice Massachusetts Joseph Rucker Lamar June 1, 1916
(47–22)
June 5, 1916

February 13, 1939
(Retired)
John Hessin Clarke cph.3b09252.jpg John Hessin Clarke Associate Justice Ohio Charles Evans Hughes July 24, 1916
(Acclamation)
October 9, 1916

September 18, 1922
(Retired)

Notable Cases in 249 U.S.

First Amendment Cases

In 1919 the Supreme Court decided several cases upholding criminal convictions under the Espionage Act of 1917 as against claims of free speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Those decisions published in volume 249 are Schenck v. United States , 249 U.S. 47 (1919); Frohwerk v. United States , 249 U.S. 204 (1919); and Debs v. United States , 249 U.S. 211 (1919). The cases involved protest against conscription, published criticism of the government, and verbal criticism of the government, respectively. On appeal, the Supreme Court upheld each appellant's conviction of violating the 1917 Espionage Act.

Citation style

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.

Bluebook citation style is used for case names, citations, and jurisdictions.

List of cases in volume 249 U.S.

Case NamePage and yearOpinion of the CourtConcurring opinion(s)Dissenting opinion(s)Lower CourtDisposition
Harriman National Bank of New York v. Seldomridge 1 (1919) Whitenonenone 2d Cir. reversed
Butte and Superior Copper Company v. Clark-Montana Realty Company 12 (1919) McKennanonenone 9th Cir. affirmed
G.S. Nicholas & Co. v. United States 34 (1919) McKennanonenone Ct. Cust. App. affirmed
Panama Railroad Company v. Bosse 41 (1919) Holmesnonenone 5th Cir. affirmed
Schenck v. United States 47 (1919) Holmesnonenone E.D. Pa. affirmed
Alaska Pacific Fisheries v. Alaska 53 (1919) Daynonenone 9th Cir. dismissed
Alaska Salmon Company v. Alaska 62 (1919) Daynonenone 9th Cir. dismissed
Withnell v. Ruecking Construction Company 63 (1919) Daynonenone Mo. affirmed
Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas v. Alhambra Cigar and Cigarette Manufacturing Company 72 (1919) Daynonenone Phil. dismissed
Whitehead v. Galloway 79 (1919) Daynonenone Okla. affirmed
United States v. Doremus 86 (1919) DaynoneWhite W.D. Tex. reversed
Webb v. United States 96 (1919) Daynonenone 6th Cir. certification
L.A. Westermann Company v. Dispatch Printing Company 100 (1919) VanDevanternonenone 6th Cir. reversed
Lane v. Pueblo of Santa Rosa 110 (1919) VanDevanternonenone D.C. Cir. reversed
Ex parte Whitney Steamboat Corporation 115 (1919) Pitneynonenone E.D.N.Y. prohibition denied
North Pacific Steamship Company v. Hall Brothers Marine Railway and Shipbuilding Company 119 (1919) Pitneynonenone N.D. Cal. affirmed
Werk v. Parker 130 (1919) Pitneynonenone 3d Cir. affirmed
Arkadelphia Milling Company v. St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company 134 (1919) Pitneynonenone E.D. Ark. multiple
Middleton v. Texas Power and Light Company 152 (1919) Pitneynonenone Tex. Civ. App. affirmed
Chicago Great Western Railway Company v. Basham 164 (1919) Pitneynonenone Iowa dismissed
New York Central Railroad Company v. Porter 168 (1919) McReynoldsnonenone N.Y. Sup. Ct. reversed
Missouri and Arkansas Lumber and Mining Company v. Sebastian County 170 (1919) McReynoldsnonenone W.D. Ark. affirmed
City of Richmond v. Bird 174 (1919) McReynoldsnonenone 4th Cir. affirmed
Gilcrease v. McCullough 178 (1919) Brandeisnonenone Okla. affirmed
Sugarman v. United States 182 (1919) Brandeisnonenone D. Minn. dismissed
Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad Company v. Collins Produce Company 186 (1919) Clarkenonenone 7th Cir. affirmed
Seufert Brothers Company v. United States 194 (1919) Clarkenonenone D. Or. affirmed
Shaffer v. Howard 200 (1919) Whitenonenone E.D. Okla. reversed
New York v. New Jersey 202 (1919) per curiam nonenone original testimony ordered
Frohwerk v. United States 204 (1919) Holmesnonenone W.D. Mo. affirmed
Debs v. United States 211 (1919) Holmesnonenone N.D. Ohio affirmed
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company v. Leach 217 (1919) McReynoldsnoneClarke Ky. reversed
South Dakota v. Collins 220 (1919) McKennanonenone original judgment for S.D.
Crocker v. Malley 223 (1919) Holmesnonenone 1st Cir. reversed
Public Utilities Commission for the State of Kansas v. Landon 236 (1919) McReynoldsnonenone D. Kan. reversed
Gratiot County State Bank v. Johnson 246 (1919) Brandeisnonenone Mich. reversed
Postal Telegraph-Cable Company v. City of Richmond 252 (1919) Clarkenonenone E.D. Va. affirmed
Board of Public Utility Commissioners of the Philippines v. Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company 262 (1919) Whitenonenone Phil. dismissed
Dominion Hotel, Inc. v. Arizona 265 (1919) Holmesnonenone Ariz. affirmed
St. Louis Poster Advertising Company v. City of St. Louis 269 (1919) Holmesnonenonemultipleaffirmed
Union Tank Line Company v. Wright 275 (1919) McReynoldsnonePitney Ga. reversed
United States v. Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal 296 (1919) Brandeisnonenone 2d Cir. reversed
Miller v. McClain 308 (1919) Whitenonenone Kan. affirmed
United States v. Purcell Envelope Company 313 (1919) McKennanonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
O'Pry v. United States 323 (1919) McKennanonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
Lane v. Darlington 331 (1919) Holmesnonenone D.C. Cir. reversed
Capitol Transportation Company v. Cambria Steel Company 334 (1919) Holmesnonenone 6th Cir. affirmed
Union Oil Company of California v. Smith 337 (1919) Pitneynonenone Cal. affirmed
United States v. Union Pacific Railroad Company 354 (1919) Brandeisnonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
Wise v. United States 361 (1919) Clarkenonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
United States ex rel. Arant v. Lane 367 (1919) Clarkenonenone D.C. Cir. affirmed
United States v. Gudger 373 (1919) Whitenonenone W.D. Va. affirmed
Matters v. Ryan 375 (1919) Whitenonenone N.D. Ill. reversed
Ex parte Hudgings 378 (1919) Whitenonenone E.D.N.Y. habeas corpus granted
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company v. United States 385 (1919) Holmesnonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
Standard Oil Company v. Graves 389 (1919) Daynonenone Wash. reversed
McKinley v. United States 397 (1919) Daynonenone S.D. Ga. affirmed
Columbus Railway, Power and Light Company v. City of Columbus 399 (1919) Daynonenone S.D. Ohio affirmed
Burr v. City of Columbus 415 (1919) Daynonenone S.D. Ohio affirmed
Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company v. Ochs 416 (1919) VanDevanternonenone Minn. affirmed
Lake Erie and Western Railroad Company v. State Public Utilities Commission of Illinois ex rel. Cameron 422 (1919) VanDevanternonenone Ill. affirmed
Board of Public Commissioners of the Philippines v. Compania General de Filipinas 425 (1919) VanDevanternonenone Phil. reversed
Corn Products Refining Company v. Eddy 427 (1919) Pitneynonenone Kan. affirmed
United States v. Laughlin 440 (1919) Pitneynonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
Citizens Bank of Michigan City v. Opperman 448 (1919) McReynoldsnonenone Ind. dismissed
United States v. Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company 451 (1919) McReynoldsnonenone Ct. Cl. reversed
Barbour v. Georgia 454 (1919) Brandeisnonenone Ga. affirmed
J.E. Hathaway and Company v. United States 460 (1919) Brandeisnonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
Ex parte Wagner 465 (1919) Clarkenonenone 6th Cir. mandamus denied
Southern Pacific Railroad Company v. Arizona 472 (1919) Clarkenonenone Ariz. affirmed
Houston v. St. Louis Independent Packing Company 479 (1919) Clarkenonenone 8th Cir. reversed
Moore v. United States 487 (1919) Clarkenonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
Hartford Life Insurance Company v. Johnson 490 (1919) Clarkenonenone Mo. dismissed
Brougham v. Blanton Manufacturing Company 495 (1919) McKennanonenone 8th Cir. reversed
Rand v. United States 503 (1919) McKennanonenone Ct. Cl. affirmed
Perley v. North Carolina 510 (1919) McKennanonenone N.C. affirmed
Gillis v. New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company 515 (1919) McKennanonenone Mass. Super. Ct. affirmed
United Railroads of San Francisco v. City and County of San Francisco 517 (1919) Holmesnonenone N.D. Cal. affirmed
Chalker v. Birmingham and Northwestern Railway Company 522 (1919) McReynoldsnonenone Tenn. reversed
New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad Company v. Scarlet 528 (1919) Brandeisnonenone Miss. reversed
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad Company v. Mullins 531 (1919) Brandeisnonenone Miss. reversed
Louisville and Jeffersonville Bridge Company v. United States 534 (1919) Clarkenonenone 6th Cir. certification
Darling v. City of Newport News 540 (1919) Holmesnonenone Va. affirmed
Collett v. Adams 545 (1919) VanDevanternonenone S.D. Tex. reversed
Ex parte Tracy 551 (1919) per curiam nonenone D. Colo. habeas corpus denied
Raton Water Works Company v. City of Raton 552 (1919) Whitenonenone 8th Cir. certification
Beaumont v. Prieto 554 (1919) Holmesnonenone Phil. affirmed
Skinner and Eddy Corporation v. United States 557 (1919) Brandeisnonenone D. Or. affirmed
Standard Computing Scale Company, Ltd. v. Farrell 571 (1919) Brandeisnonenone S.D.N.Y. affirmed

Notes and references

    1. "Supreme Court Research Guide". Georgetown Law Library. Retrieved April 7, 2021.