Kilbourn v. Thompson
Supreme Court of the United States
Error to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. This is an action for false imprisonment brought by Hallett ■ Kilbourn against John G. Thompson, Michael C. Kerr, John M. Glover, Jeptha D. New, Burwell P. Lewis, and A. Herr Smith.
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Error to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. This is an action for false imprisonment brought by Hallett ■ Kilbourn against John G. Thompson, Michael C. Kerr, John M. Glover, Jeptha D. New, Burwell P. Lewis, and A. Herr Smith. The declaration charges that the defendants with force and arms took the plaintiff from his house, and without any , reasonable oi probable cause, and against his will, confined him in the common jail of the District of Columbia for the period of forty-five days. The defendant Kerr died before process was served upon him. Thompson pleaded first the general…
1Opinion of the CourtJustice Miller
The argument before us has assumed a very wide range, and includes the discussion of almost every suggestion that can well be conceived on the subject. The two extremes of the controversy are, the proposition on the part of the plaintiff, that the House of Representatives has no power whatever to punish for a contempt of its authority; and on the part of defendants, that such power undoubtedly exists, and when that body has formally exercised it, it must be presumed that it was rightfully exercised.
This latter proposition assumes the form of expression sometimes used with reference to courts…
2Cases cited5 opinions
- Pennoyer v. NeffSupreme Court of the United States · 1878
- Anderson v. DunnSupreme Court of the United States · 1821
- Thompson v. WhitmanSupreme Court of the United States · 1874
- Coffin v. CoffinMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1808
- Williamson v. BerrySupreme Court of the United States · 1850
3Cited by727 opinions
- Scheuer v. RhodesSupreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Buckley v. ValeoSupreme Court of the United States · 1976
- United States v. NixonSupreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Powell v. McCormackSupreme Court of the United States · 1969
- Forrester v. WhiteSupreme Court of the United States · 1988
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