United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

O'Brien v. Brown, 409 U.S. 1 (1972)

O'Brien v. Brown

Nos. 72-34 and A-23

Decided July 7, 1972*

409 U.S. 1

Syllabus

On July 3, 1972, delegates from California and Illinois brought suits in District Court contesting their unseating, recommended by the Democratic Party's Credentials Committee, in the 1972 Democratic National Convention, scheduled to convene July 10. The District Court dismissed both actions. On July 5, the Court of Appeals reversed both decisions, granting relief to the California delegates, and denying relief to the Illinois delegates.

Held: In view of the probability that the Court of Appeals erred in deciding the cases on the merits, and in view of the traditional right of a political convention to review and act upon the recommendations of a Credentials Committee, the judgments of the Court of Appeals must be stayed. The important constitutional issues cannot be resolved within the limited time available, and no action is now taken on the petitions for certiorari.

See: 152 U.S.App.D.C. 157, 469 F.2d 563.

Page 409 U. S. 2