Hague v. Committee for Industrial Organization

Hague v. Committee for Industrial Organization
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued February 27–28, 1939 Decided June 5, 1939
Full case name	Frank Hague, Mayor, et al. v. Committee for Industrial Organization, et al.
Citations	307 U.S. 496 (more) 59 S. Ct. 954; 83 L. Ed. 1423; 1939 U.S. LEXIS 1067; 1 Lab. Cas. (CCH) P17,048; 4 L.R.R.M. 501
Prior history	Certiorari to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Certiorari, 306 U.S. 624, to review a decree which modified and affirmed a decree of injunction, 25 F.2d 127, in a suit brought by individuals, unincorporated labor organizations, and a membership corporation, against officials of a municipality to restrain alleged violations of constitutional rights of free speech and of assembly.
Holding
The Court held that Hague's ban on political meetings violated the First Amendment right to freedom of assembly, and so the ordinances were void.
Court membership
Chief Justice Charles E. Hughes Associate Justices James C. McReynolds · Pierce Butler Harlan F. Stone · Owen J. Roberts Hugo Black · Stanley F. Reed Felix Frankfurter · William O. Douglas
Concurrence	Roberts, joined by Black
Concurrence	Stone, joined by Reed
Concurrence	Hughes
Dissent	McReynolds
Dissent	Butler
Frankfurter and Douglas took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amend. I

Hague v. Committee for Industrial Organization, 307 U.S. 496 (1939), is a case decided by the United States Supreme Court. The case involved Jersey City, New Jersey Mayor Frank "Boss" Hague who had in 1937 used a city ordinance to prevent labor meetings in public places and stop the distribution of literature pertaining to the CIO's cause. He referred to them as "communist."

District and circuit courts ruled in favor of the CIO, which brought the suit against the mayor for these actions and which was represented by Morris L. Ernst, Spaulding Frazer, Lee Pressman and Benjamin Kaplan. Hague appealed to the Supreme Court which ruled against him and held that Hague's ban on political meetings violated the First Amendment right to freedom of assembly, and so the ordinances were void.

See also

• List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 307

External links

• 307 U.S. 496 (1939) Full text of the decision from FindLaw.com
• First Amendment Library entry on Hague