United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Bindczyck v. Funicane, 342 U.S. 76 (1951)

Bindczyck v. Funicane

No. 18

Argued October 10, 1951

Decided November 26, 1951

342 U.S. 76

Syllabus

1. The procedure prescribed by § 338 of the Nationality Act of 1940, 8 U.S.C. § 738, is the exclusive procedure for revoking naturalization on the ground of fraud or illegal procurement, based on evidence outside the record. Pp. 342 U. S. 77-88.

2. A state court granted petitioner a certificate of citizenship. At the same term, as permitted by state practice, it granted a motion of the Government, based on evidence outside the record, to vacate and set aside its order of naturalization on the ground of fraud in procurement. Petitioner appeared personally and admitted the fraud.

Held: This revocation of petitioner's naturalization is void, because it was not in accordance with the uniform procedure prescribed by § 338 of the Nationality Act. Pp. 342 U. S. 77-88.

(a) Congress intended to prescribe a uniform and carefully safeguarded procedure for revoking naturalization on the ground of fraud or illegal procurement based on evidence outside the record, and this purpose would be defeated if state courts could follow instead widely diverse state rules affecting the finality of local judgments. Pp. 342 U. S. 79-86.

(b) A different result is not required by Tutun v. United States, 270 U. S. 568, sustaining the right of an alien to appeal from an order denying naturalization. Pp. 342 U. S. 86-88.

87 U.S.App.D.C. 137, 184 F.2d 225, reversed.

The District Court granted petitioner a judgment declaring him to be a citizen of the United States. The Court of Appeals reversed. 87 U.S.App.D.C. 137, 184 F.2d 225. This Court granted certiorari. 341 U.S. 919. Reversed, p. 342 U. S. 88.

Page 342 U. S. 77