CitationBillingslea v. State, 780 S.W.2d 271 (Tex. Crim. App. 1989) Brief Fact Summary. Defendant was convicted for the injury of an elderly person when his mother was found in a neglected state in his care. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A person can only be convicted of causing injury to an elderly person when the statute describes a duty to act or the defendant voluntarily assumed the duty. ...
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Boyle v. United States
CitationBoyle v. United States, 556 U.S. 938 (U.S. 2009) Brief Fact Summary. Boyle was convicted for violating the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act), 18 U.S.C. § 1963(c) when he engaged in a series of bank robberies with an enterprise with loosely-defined roles. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Under the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act), 18 U.S.C. § 1963(c), an association-in-fact enterprise must have a delineated structure, but proof of that structure outside of it’s racketeering activities is not necessary. ...
Bryan v. United States
CitationBryan v. United States, 524 U.S. 184 (U.S. 1998) Brief Fact Summary. Bryan appeals his conviction of illicitly selling firearms in violation of the federal firearms statute because he did not “willfully” sell the firearms as delineated in the statute. Synopsis of Rule of Law. An individual can be convicted of “willfully” violating a federal statute if the individual knows that his actions are unlawful. ...
Carter v. United States
CitationCarter v. United States, 530 U.S. 255 (U.S. 2000) Brief Fact Summary. Carter sought a jury instruction of federal bank larceny after being convicted of federal bank robbery in 1997. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A defendant may be convicted of a lesser-included offense if that lesser offense maintains elements of the originally charged offense. ...
City of Auburn v. Hedlund
CitationCity of Auburn v. Hedlund, 201 P.3d 315 (Wash. 2009) Brief Fact Summary. Hedlund was convicted as an accomplice to a DUI after she hosted a party where excessive drinking was caught on videotape and she sustained head injuries when she was injured by a drunk driver. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A person cannot be charged as an accomplice to a crime that the person was a victim of. ...
Commonwealth v. Markum
CitationCommonwealth v. Markum, 541 A. 2d 347 (Pa. Superior Ct. 1988) Brief Fact Summary. Markum tried to use the justification defense when he was charged for breaking medical equipment in an abortion clinic a part of an anti-abortion demonstration. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A justification defense is appropriate where the harm avoided by the commission of the crime is greater than the harm that is prevented by the law. ...
Director of Public Prosecutions v. Majewski
CitationDirector of Public Prosecutions v. Majewski, 2 All E.R. 142 (H.L. 1976) Brief Fact Summary. Majewski appealed to the House of Lords after he was disallowed to use the defense of intoxication in his assault charges. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Voluntary intoxication is not a defense to assault unless the crime requires specific intent. ...
Foucha v. Louisiana
CitationFoucha v. Louisiana, 504 U.S. 71 (U.S. 1992) Brief Fact Summary. Foucha was acquitted for burglary charges due to an insanity defense and subsequently institutionalized. Foucha appealed his eligibility to be released from the mental institution. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A defendant who was institutionalized due to an insanity defense is not eligible for release until it is determined from the court that he is no longer a danger to others. ...
Godfrey v. Georgia
CitationGodfrey v. Georgia, 446 U.S. 420 (U.S. 1980) Brief Fact Summary. Godfrey appealed his death sentence after shooting his wife and her mother due to the arbitrary interpretation of a Georgia statute. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The death penalty may be enforced if the statute permitting the institution of the death penalty is narrowly tailored enough to prevent some defendants from being subject to capital punishment and not others. ...
In re D.F.B
CitationIn re D.F.B., 433 N.W.2d 79 (Minn. 1988) Brief Fact Summary. D.F.B. appealed the decision to be tried as an adult after he murder his parents and siblings with an axe at the age of sixteen. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The state must establish by clear and convincing evidence that a juvenile cannot be rehabilitated by his nineteenth birthday or he poses a danger to the public in order for a juvenile to be tried as an adult. ...
In re Dahl
CitationIn re Dahl, 278 N.W.2d 316 (Minn. 1979) Brief Fact Summary. Dahl appealed the decision of the trial court to charge his as an adult after he murdered a man at the age of seventeen. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A juvenile under the age of eighteen should be tried as a juvenile unless the defendant cannot be reformed by his nineteenth birthday or the defendant is a danger to the public. ...
In re the Welfare of J.H.
CitationIn re the Welfare of J.H., 844 N.W.2d 28 (Minn. 2014) Brief Fact Summary. J.H. was present when a minor was raped by gang members, and the State is appealing the decision to try J.H. as a minor. Synopsis of Rule of Law. When trying a juvenile as an adult, a juvenile court does not have to consider: (1) the severity of the offense and the juvenile’s criminal record and (2) how these two factors affected the decision to try a juvenile as an adult. ...
In re Tyvonne
CitationIn re Tyvonne, 558 A.2d 661 (Conn. 1989) Brief Fact Summary. Tyvonne tried to implement the assault defense in juvenile court after he shot another elementary school student. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The defense of infancy can only be used in criminal proceedings where a juvenile is being tried as an adult. ...
Kansas v. Crane
CitationKansas v. Crane, 534 U.S. 407 (U.S. 2002) Brief Fact Summary. Kansas appealed after the state supreme court determined that they must prove that the defendant could not control his dangerous behavior in order to civilly commit Crane. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A state must prove that a defendant cannot control his behavior and his behavior is a threat to the public to civilly commit that individual. ...
Kolender v. Lawson
CitationKolender v. Lawson, 461 U.S. 352 (U.S. 1983) Brief Fact Summary. Lawson sought to declare a California statute unconstitutional that required him to produce identification any time an officer asked. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A statute remains constitutional if: (1) the statute is enforced fairly and (2) if citizens are given fair notice of the behavior required by the statute. ...
Mobley v. State
CitationMobley v. State, 132 So.3d 1160 (Fla. Dist. App. 2014) Brief Fact Summary. Gabriel Mobley appealed his second degree murder conviction under Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law after being attacked outside of a restaurant by two strangers. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A defendant is permitted to use deadly force if he believes that deadly force is necessary to prevent great bodily harm or imminent death to himself or others, or to prevent the commission of a felony under the stand your ground law. ...
Burcky v. Knowles
Citation413 A.2d 585 (1980) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiffs’ predecessor conveyed two adjacent parcels to Defendant’s predecessor by two separate deeds, which included reservations of a right-of-way easement. The second deed included inheritance language. Plaintiffs’ sued for declaratory judgment to resolve easement rights. The trial court deemed that the first deed created an easement in gross because it did not contain words of inheritance. Synopsis of Rule of Law. To create an easement appurtenant, a deed does not need to include words of inheritance. ...
City of Bowie v. MIE Properties, Inc
Citation922 A.2d 509 (2007) Brief Fact Summary. Defendant and Plaintiff’s predecessor in title created a covenant limiting development of Plaintiff’s predecessor’s property to fourteen enumerated uses. Defendant sued to enjoin some of Plaintiff’s space from being used as a dance studio. Plaintiff counterclaimed for declaratory judgment to render the covenant unenforceable due to changes in circumstance. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Courts may limit a restrictive covenant’s duration to a reasonable period of time, if the duration is not specified. ...
Colonial at Lynnfield, Inc. v. Sloan
Citation870 F.2d 761 (1989) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant to enforce a liquidated damages clause in which Defendant pays $200,000 if the $3.375 million purchase of a forty-nine percent interest of Plaintiff’s property was not completed due to Defendant’s default. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A liquidated damages clause is unenforceable if it is unreasonably and grossly disproportionate to the actual damages. ...
County of Wayne v. Hathcock
Citation684 N.W.2d 765 (2004) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sought to condemn the Defendants’ land for the construction of a large business and technology park. The trial court found that the proposed developments constituted a public purpose. The court of appeals affirmed. Defendants appealed. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A forced transfer of land from one private entity to another private entity constitutes a “public use” if the receiving entity: 1) is involved in a public necessity; 2) remains subject to public oversight with respect to the transferred property; or 3) if th ...
Crane v. Crane
Citation683 P.2d 1062 (1984) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiffs held grazing permits, which they acquired from a predecessor who used the road that ran through Defendant’s property to drive cattle since 1950. Plaintiffs sued Defendant, claiming an easement by prescription, in order to also use the dirt road to drive their cattle to a grazing area in the national park. The trial court held that the Plaintiffs did have an easement by prescription to use the road solely to drive the cattle. Synopsis of Rule of Law. An easement in gross can be transferred by sale or descent if the easement is ...
Davidow v. Inwood North Professional Group-Phase I
Citation747 S.W.2d 373 (1988) Brief Fact Summary. The Plaintiff sued Defendant for unpaid rent on medical office space. The Defendant argued that defects in the premises made the space unsuitable for use as a medical office. The trial court ruled in favor of Defendant, holding that the premises were not suitable for a doctor’s office and damages were awarded to Defendant for relocation costs. The court of appeals ruled that Plaintiff was entitled to back rent. Defendant appealed. Synopsis of Rule of Law. In a commercial lease, there is an implied warranty of suitability by the landlor ...
DiDonato v. Reliance Standard Life Ins. Co
Citation249 A.2d 327 (1969) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff sued Defendant contracted for the purchase of Defendant’s property. At the time of contract, the property was zoned for industrial use, however, before closing a zoning amendment restricted the property to residential use. Plaintiff discovered the rezoning when he tried to sell the property and sued Defendant to rescind their contract. The trial court ruled for Defendant. Plaintiff appealed. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Absent an agreement to the contrary, the purchaser of real estate bears the risk of loss or injury occurring duri ...
Eagle Enterprises, Inc. v. Gross
Citation349 N.E.2d 819 (1976) Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff and Defendant’s predecessors in title covenanted that Defendant’s predecessor in title would receive and pay for water from Plaintiff’s predecessor in title. The deed by which the covenant was created stipulated that the covenant would run with the land. Plaintiff sued Defendant because Defendant refused to pay for or accept delivery of water from Plaintiff. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Plaintiff and Defendant’s predecessors in title covenanted that Defendant’s predecessor in title would receive and pay fo ...
Echo Consulting Services, Inc. v. North Conway Bank
Citation669 A.2d 227 (1995) Brief Fact Summary. Defendant became Plaintiff’s landlord after purchasing a building and assuming Plaintiff’s lease. Plaintiff sued Defendant after Defendant began renovating the building and causing many disruptions. Plaintiff alleged that all of these circumstances constituted a constructive eviction, partial actual eviction, and breach of implied covenant of quiet enjoyment. The trial court ruled in Defendant’s favor. Plaintiff appealed, alleging that the trial court erred in not finding a constructive or actual eviction and in applying the wr ...