Supreme Court
Feiner V. New York 1951
By: Rhoneisha Woods
&
Dezaray Burgess
Constitutional Issues
1st amendment the right or free speech and is
applicable to the states through the due
process clause of the 14th amendment.
Litigant 1 description
March 8th: awhile student made a speech at
Syracuse University he was asked to leave
and the end of his speech by 2 officers one
listener threatened him.
Litigant 2 description
The crowd consisted of about 75 people “To
arouse the Negro people against the whites,
urging that they rise up in arms and fight for
equal rights.”
Background of case
Docket number 3
Petitioner: Irving Feiner
Respondent: New York
Decided by: Vinson court (1949- 1953)
Opinion: 340 U.S. 315 (1951)
Argued: Tuesday October 17, 1950
Decided: Monday January 15, 1951
Majority opinion: Key point
1950- Irving verbally attacked president Truman
Other court opinion (concurring/
dissenting)
“If in the name of preserving order (the police)
ever can interfere with a lawful public speaker,
they first must make all reasonable efforts to
protect him.” Their duty was to protect the
petitioners rights to talk.
Significance
Prevents the police from interfering when they
believe free speech threatens to incite
listeners to violate public order.
Our response to the case
We feel as though that people should have the
right to speak on how they feel and want.
Sources of information
Democracy in Action- book, internet