|
Vachon v. New Hampshire, 414 U.S. 478 (1974)
Contents:
Show Summary
Hide Summary
General SummaryThis case is from a collection containing the full text of over 16,000 Supreme Court cases from 1793 to the present. The body of Supreme Court decisions are, effectively, the final interpretation of the Constitution. Only an amendment to the Constitution can permanently overturn an interpretation and this has happened only four times in American history.
Vachon v. New Hampshire, 414 U.S. 478 (1974)
Vachon v. New Hampshire No. 73-573 Decided January 14, 1974 414 U.S. 478
APPEAL FROM THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
On the basis of evidence that a 14-year-old girl bought a button inscribed "Copulation Not Masturbation" at a store operated by him, appellant was convicted of "willfully" contributing to the delinquency of a minor in violation of a New Hampshire statute. The New Hampshire Supreme Court affirmed.
Held: An independent examination of the trial record pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 40(1)(d)(2) discloses that evidence is completely lacking that appellant personally sold the girl the button, or that he was aware of the sale or present in the store at the time, a fatal void in the State’s case that was not filled by appellant’s concession at trial that he "controlled the premises" at the time. A conviction based on a record completely lacking any relevant evidence as to a crucial element of the offense charged violates due process.
113 N.H. 239, 306 A.2d 781, reversed and remanded.
Contents:
Chicago:
U.S. Supreme Court, "Syllabus," Vachon v. New Hampshire, 414 U.S. 478 (1974) in 414 U.S. 478 Original Sources, accessed August 30, 2025, http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=VD273YVXMK7A979.
MLA:
U.S. Supreme Court. "Syllabus." Vachon v. New Hampshire, 414 U.S. 478 (1974), in 414 U.S. 478, Original Sources. 30 Aug. 2025. http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=VD273YVXMK7A979.
Harvard:
U.S. Supreme Court, 'Syllabus' in Vachon v. New Hampshire, 414 U.S. 478 (1974). cited in 1974, 414 U.S. 478. Original Sources, retrieved 30 August 2025, from http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=VD273YVXMK7A979.
|