Sparf v. United States

Sparf v. United States
Supreme Court of the United States
Submitted March 5, 1894 Decided January 21, 1895
Full case name	Sparf and Hansen v. United States
Citations	156 U.S. 51 (more) 15 S. Ct. 273; 39 L. Ed. 343; 1895 U.S. LEXIS 2120
Prior history	Error to the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of California
Court membership
Chief Justice Melville Fuller Associate Justices Stephen J. Field · John M. Harlan Horace Gray · David J. Brewer Henry B. Brown · George Shiras, Jr. Howell E. Jackson · Edward D. White
Case opinions
Majority	Harlan, joined by Fuller, Field, White
Concurrence	Jackson
Dissent	Brewer, joined by Brown
Dissent	Gray, joined by Shiras

Sparf v. United States, 156 U.S. 51 (1895), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that federal judges were not required to inform jurors of their inherent ability to judge the law in a case. The decision was rendered by a five to four judge margin, with two dissenting opinions. The case distinguished itself from earlier precedent in Georgia v. Brailsford (1794) mandating that jurors be informed by the court of their right to judge the case's facts and law (jury nullification).

See also

• List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 156
• Jury nullification