Adderley v. Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adderley v. Florida |
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| Argued October 18, 1966 Decided November 14, 1966 |
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| Full case name | Adderley, et al. v. Florida |
| Citations | 385 U.S. 39 (more)
87 S. Ct. 242; 17 L. Ed. 2d 149
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| Prior history | Adderley v. State, 175 So. 2d 249 (Fla. 1st DCA 1965) |
| Holding | |
| Because a jail facility is not a public forum and a state may regulate the use of its property, the First Amendment rights of the protesters were not violated. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Black, joined by Clark, Harlan, Stewart, White |
| Dissent | Douglas, joined by Warren, Brennan, Fortas |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. amend. I | |
Adderley v. Florida was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1966. It was about whether people could be arrested for protesting near a jail. The case helped define where and how people can protest.
Contents
The Story Behind the Case
In 1966, students from Florida A&M University (FAMU) were protesting against racial segregation. Some of these students were arrested.
The next day, about 200 FAMU students gathered. They went to the Leon County jail to protest the arrests of their friends.
What the Protesters Did
The students were on a driveway near the jail. They sang, clapped, and danced. They were protesting the arrests and segregation.
The sheriff, who was in charge of the jail, told them they were on county property. He said they were trespassing and had to leave.
About 107 students refused to leave. They were then arrested. They were charged with "trespass with a malicious and mischievous intent." This means they were accused of being on someone else's property without permission and with bad intentions.
Why the Case Went to Court
The students believed their arrests were wrong. They felt their rights to free speech and assembly were violated. These rights are protected by the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Their case went through different courts in Florida. Eventually, it reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court's Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court made a decision in November 1966. They decided that the students' trespassing convictions were correct. This was a close vote, with five justices agreeing and four disagreeing.
The Majority Opinion
Justice Black wrote the main opinion for the majority. He said that county jails are not public places like parks or streets. Because of this, the state could control who uses jail property.
The Court decided that states can protect their property. They can stop people from using it for protests. This is allowed as long as they are fair and not discriminating against anyone.
The Dissenting Opinion
Justice Douglas wrote the opinion for the four justices who disagreed. Chief Justice Warren, Justice Brennan, and Justice Fortas agreed with him.
Justice Douglas argued that the protesters were peaceful. They did not cause violence or block the jail entrance. He believed that public officials should not be able to choose where people can express their ideas. He felt that the First Amendment should protect protests in more public places.
See also
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 385
- List of United States Supreme Court cases by the Warren Court
- Free speech zone
- Brown v. Louisiana
- Cox v. Louisiana
- Edwards v. South Carolina
