Gonzales v. United States

Gonzales v. United States, 348 U.S. 407 (1955), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a Jehovah's Witness was denied fair hearing because of failure to supply him with materials in his record.

Gonzales v. United States
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued February 1–2, 1955 Decided March 14, 1955
Full case name	Gonzales v. United States
Citations	348 U.S. 407 (more) 75 S. Ct. 409; 99 L. Ed. 467; 1955 U.S. LEXIS 1081
Case history
Prior	United States v. Gonzales, 120 F. Supp. 730 (E.D. Mich. 1953); affirmed, 212 F.2d 71 (6th Cir. 1954); cert. granted, 348 U.S. 811 (1954).
Holding
A Jehovah's Witness was denied fair hearing because of failure to supply him with materials in his record.
Court membership
Chief Justice Earl Warren Associate Justices Hugo Black · Stanley F. Reed Felix Frankfurter · William O. Douglas Harold H. Burton · Tom C. Clark Sherman Minton
Case opinions
Majority	Clark, joined by Warren, Black, Frankfurter, Douglas, and Harlan
Dissent	Reed, joined by Burton
Dissent	Minton
Laws applied
Universal Military Training and Service Act

Facts of the case

Gonzales, a member of Jehovah's Witnesses who had claimed and had been denied conscientious objector exemption, was convicted under the Universal Military Training and Service Act for refusal to submit to induction into the armed forces.

Decision of the court

The 6-3 opinion of the court was written by Justice Clark, holding that the petitioner was entitled to receive a copy of the recommendation made by the Department of Justice to the Appeal Board under the provisions of 6 (j) of the Universal Military Training and Service Act. Justice Reed, joined by Justice Burton, and Justice Minton each filed a dissenting opinion.

See also

• List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 348

External links

• Text of Gonzales v. United States, 348 U.S. 407 (1955) is available from: CourtListener Findlaw Google Scholar Justia Library of Congress Oyez (oral argument audio)