Brandon Von Glahn
Wolf v. Colorado [1949]
1. Case
Fill out the complete name of the case. Wolf v. Colorado 1949
Include the year of the decision. 1949
Chief Justice of the Court and the years of his tenure. Fred M. Vinson
The key Issue or Topic of the Case The key topics of the case is the 4th amendment,
due process clause, 14th amendment, and abortion.
2.Historical Background and the Facts of the Case
What happened to cause a trial? History of the case. Julius Wolf was so called ‘conspiring’ to
commit abortions illegally within the state of Colorado. Wolf used his 4th amendment right
to his advantaged to prohibit illegal seize and searches.
Is someone charged with a crime? Julius Wolf was convicted of illegally giving women
abortions in the state of Colorado.
Who/What are the two sides involved? Julius Wold claims that the state had no right to
search him or his work place under his rights due to the 14th and 4th amendments in the
constitution.
This section is best done paragraph format.
3. Issue-What is the issue the court is ruling on? The court is ruling on based whether or not
the legality of the abortions by Wolf, and also if his 4th and 14th amendments protected his
rights to prohibit the state from seize and searches.
–Sometimes this is not the same as the actual charge made toward the accused.
(I have been charged with murder, but am asking the government to disregard certain evidence)
4. Argument
What is the opinion of each side? Wolf’s opinion is that he knows that abortion was illegal to
perform at the time of the 40’s. His side of the argument is that the state of Colorado didn’t
have the right to seize and search his home and work place. They found evidence illegally
and presented it before the jury. Colorado’s side of the argument is that the 4th and 14th
amendments didn’t subject criminal justice in the state to specific limitations.
5. Decision
What side did the judge(s) take? The judges took Colorado’s side, claiming that the 14th
amendment could now allow any limitations regarding criminal justice.
Who won? How was the courts decision split up. Colorado won 6-3 over Wolf. The court was
mostly one sided about this decision
6. Reasoning
Why did the court decide the way it did? They found that the 4th and 14th amendment did not
constitutionally protect Wolf from being seized and searched under the subject criminal
justice situation.
What was their reason for their decision? The due process clause has minimal standards set
for a situation that Wolf partook in.
7. Your Opinion
Which side do you agree with examples. I agree with Wolf although he is in the wrong. With
the ability to prove somebody is wrong comes the responsibility of doing it legally and
reasonably. If you must break the law to prove somebody is in fault, they are not.
Did the judge decide in the correct manner? WHY? They did NOT! They only looked at the
legality through one point of view, obviously not through Wolf’s.
8. Historical significance or impact of the decision? List other related Court Cases. How
has this ruling be applied? This section is a work in progress, as you finish cases you will add
then in to this section. Mapp v. Ohio 1961