Legal Opinion
United States v. John Von Barta
Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Decided November 25, 1980No. 233, Docket 80-1233PublishedCited by 153 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
IRVING R. KAUFMAN, Circuit Judge:
The centuries-long trend toward greater sophistication in the criminal law has increasingly blurred the line between criminal and noncriminal misbehavior. While defining lawless conduct is primarily a legislative function, courts have mitigated the severity of penal sanctions by construing ambiguous statutes against the Government. This doctrine of strict construction, which grew out of the emerging humanitarianism of seventeenth century England, 1 has long been a tenet of American jurisprudence. See, e. g., United States v. Wiltberger, 18 U.S. (5 Wheat.) 76,…
2Cases cited35 opinions
- United States v. JornSupreme Court of the United States · 1971
- Pereira v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1954
- United States v. WilsonSupreme Court of the United States · 1975
- Serfass v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1975
- United States v. WiltbergerSupreme Court of the United States · 1820
30 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by153 opinions
- Kehr Packages, Inc. v. Fidelcor, Inc.Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit · 1991
- United States v. Roy L. Williams, Thomas F. O'malley, Andrew G. Massa, Joseph LombardoCourt of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · 1984
- Beck v. Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co.Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit · 1987
- United States v. Joseph M. MargiottaCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit · 1982
- United States v. LemireCourt of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit · 1983
148 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.