Today in Supreme Court History: October 30, 1735

10/30/1735: President John Adams's birthday.

President John Adams

Comments

[Dan Schiavetta]

Jones v. Meehan, 175 U.S. 1 (decided October 30, 1899): language of treaty, and rights of inheritance as to Indian property, are construed as members of the tribe would understand them, not by looking to law of the state (at issue was a 10-foot wide strip of land along the shore of Red Lake in Minnesota)

Tuggle v. Netherland, 516 U.S. 10 (decided October 30, 1995): failure of state to provide independent psychiatrist to possibly rebut state showing of future dangerousness (required by Ake v. Oklahoma, 1985) resulted in vacatur of death sentence even though other aggravating factors were validly shown

[Commenter_XY]

I wonder. What would happen to a John Adams today?

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

He'd probably sign Alien and Sedition Acts.

[Magister]

What would make someone a "John Adams" today?

[Dan Schiavetta]

Like the other Founding Fathers, he would have to be willing to risk being hanged for treason. We don’t have too many guys like that around today.

[Sarcastr0]

He was just this side of a crank *back then* I can only imagine.