Today in Supreme Court History: September 8, 1953

9/8/1953: Chief Justice Fred Vinson dies.

Chief Justice Fred Vinson

Comments

[David Nieporent]

"Proof of god's existence."

[JoeFromtheBronx]

About as good as any of the others.

[David Nieporent]

In case people don't know, I was paraphrasing what Justice Frankfurter was reported to have said about Vinson's death. Vinson was deemed soft on school segregation and he died just in time for Brown to be able to be issued by a unanimous court.

[JoeFromtheBronx]

He was 63. So, the shift to the Warren Court was something of a surprise. Vinson comes off as a mediocre political choice for Chief Justice akin to Waite, Fuller, and White.

Vinson had a reasonably impressive resume, including service on the court of appeals. Truman's picks had a large level of crony to them though Justice Tom Clark turned out to be decent.

https://supremecourthistory.org/chief-justices/fred-vinson-1946-1953/

[David Nieporent]

Truman's picks had a large level of crony to them though Justice Tom Clark turned out to be decent.

But not his son! (Who was not a justice.)

[A Japanese Student]

After some time off (due to my school work), guess what's back? Today in Supreme Court of Japan History! (though no September 8 entry, yet)

Illegitimate Child Inheritance Case (Grand Bench, decided September 4, 2013): Provision of Civic Code allowing illegitimate children to inherit only half of the assets otherwise inheritable is unconstitutional

Stimulants Control Act Case (First Petty Bench, decided September 7, 1978): Established exclusionary rule, sorta. During a Terry stop, belongings can be "examined" without consent so long as it is neither a "search" nor "compulsory" (definition being too complicated to explain here); although examination was justified for suspicion of meth use, grabbing contents from pocket was excessive; "When, during seizure of an evidence, a grave illegality exists such that it would nullify the spirit of the warrant requirement, and admitting such evidence would be unjustified in terms of preventing unlawful searches in the future, that evidence becomes inadmissible" (a very strict requirement); denied suppression in this case

Gona-U Case (First Petty Bench, decided September 7, 2000): Typefaces (here, Gona-U sans-serif font) cannot be copyrighted as artistic work

Katsushika Theft and Arson Case (Second Petty Bench, decided September 7, 2012): Prior convictions can be used to establish identity of perpetrator only if prior acts are so unique, yet similar to the acts alleged in the case, that it would give a rational inference that they are committed by the same person; after remand, High Court acquits the defendant (who previously served 15 years in jail for 11 arsons)