The Background of Whren v. United States:

Whren v. United States was a United States Supreme Court ruling which declared that any traffic offenses committed by a driver is a legitimate and legally justified reason for a stop.

Whren and Brown were driving in a violent neighborhood when two plainclothes officers—who were patrolling the area in an unmarked vehicle—noticed the two men stopped at intersection for an unusually long amount of time. Without signaling, Whren and Brown sped away. When the officers noticed this violation, they stopped the vehicle, which was driven by Whren.

When the officers approached the car they noticed that Whren was holding plastic bags of crack cocaine. When and Brown were arrested on federal drug charges; however, they attempted to suppress the evidence before trial by contending that the officers used the traffic violation as a pretext for stopping the vehicle. Whren and Brown claimed that the officers lacked reasonable suspicion or probable cause to stop the men on suspicion of drug dealing.

The District Court denied the motion to suppress the evidence and both Whren and Brown were formally convicted. The Court of Appeals affirmed this ruling and the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.

Whren v. United States Trial:

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that as long as the police offices possessed reasonable cause to believe that a traffic violation occurred, they may stop any vehicle. In the case of Whren v. United States, the officers had reasonable cause to stop the individuals for a traffic violation because they sped away from a stop sign and without using their turn signal. Since an actual traffic violation took place, the ensuing search and seizure of the vehicle was in fact reasonable.

The Case Profile of Whren v. United States

The following is a case profile of the legal trial eponymously titled ‘Whren v. United States’:

Date of the Trial: Whren v. United States was argued on April 1, 1996

Legal Classification: Administrative Law; this legal field associated with events and circumstances in which the Federal Government of the United States engages its citizens, including the administration of government programs, the creation of agencies, and the establishment of a legal, regulatory federal standard

Accused Criminal Activity: The following criminal activity and charges were cited by the District of Columbia against Whren and Brown within the appeal brought forth subsequent to the initial ruling:

The District of Columbia charged Whren with federal drug crimes for possessing crack cocaine. Whren and Brown attempted to suppress the possession of crack cocaine because the arresting officers only noticed the cocaine after a traffic violation. Whren and Brown claimed that the officers, based on the 4th Amendment’s search and seizure and reasonable suspicion clause, were not allowed to observe the contents within the car following a routine traffic stop.

United States Reports Case Number: 517 U.S. 806

Date of the Delivery of the Verdict: Whren v. United States was decided on June 10, 1996

Legal Venue of Whren v. United States: The United States Supreme Court

Judicial Officer Responsible for Ruling: Chief Justice William Rehnquist

Verdict Delivered: The Supreme Court in, Whren v. United States, found that any traffic offense committed by a driver is a legitimate legal basis to initiate a traffic stop.

The Background of Wickard v. Filburn

Wickard v. Filburn was a United States Supreme Court case that ultimately recognized the power of the United States federal government to regulate various forms of domestic economic activity.

Farmer, Roscoe Filburn was growing wheat that would be used for on-farm consumption. The United States Government had imposed limits on the amount of wheat production based on the amount of acreage owned by a farmer—the limits were set by the government to drive up wheat prices during the Great Depression. Filburn, who was growing more than the regulations permitted, was ordered to destroy his crops and pay a fine to the United States Federal Government, even though the excess wheat was produced for his own use—Filburn had no intention of generating a profit through the surplus.

Wickard v. Filburn Trial:

The Supreme Court, using the United States Constitution’s Commerce Clause (affirmed under Article 1 Section 8), decided that, as a result of Kilburn’s wheat growing activities, the amount of wheat he would be required to purchase on the open market for chicken feed and because wheat was traded nationally, his production of the excess wheat ultimately affected interstate commerce. Through this interpretation, the Supreme Court of the United States, in Wickard v. Filburn, stated that United States Federal Government was allowed to regulate wheat production, even if the excess would be used for personal consumption.

The Case Profile of Wickard v. Filburn:

The following is a case profile of the legal trial eponymously titled ‘#’:

Date of the Trial: Originally Argued on May 4, 1942; Wickard v. Filburn was then re-argued on Ocotber 13, 1942.

Accused Criminal Activity: The following criminal activity and charges were cited by the United States Government against Roscoe Filburn within the appeal brought forth subsequent to the initial ruling:

The United States Federal Government fined Roscoe Filburn for producing more wheat than what was allowed based on the United States Constitution’s Commerce Clause under Article 1 Section 8. The Supreme Court ruled the production quotas under the Agricultural Adjustment act were applied to agricultural production that was consumed domestically, because its ultimate effect on interstate commerce placed it within the power of Congress to regulate under the Congress Clause.

Date of the Delivery of the Verdict: November 9, 1942

Judicial Officer Responsible for Ruling: Chief Justice Harlan F. Stone

The Background of Wisconsin v. Yoder:

Wisconsin v. Yoder is United States Supreme Court Case, which ultimately found that Amish children cannot be placed under compulsory education past the 8th grade, for it violated their parents’ basic right to freedom of religion.

Three Amish students, from different families, ceased to attend New Glarus High School in New Glarus, Wisconsin following completion of 8th grade. The students stopped attending school as per request of their parents—each student’s parent requested that the youths stop attending school because of their religious beliefs.

The families were represented by Jonas Yoder (a father involved in the matter) when the case formally went to trial. The children were ultimately convicted in the Green County Court; this ruling was ultimately upheld in the appeals circuit. Each defendant was fined $5 dollars; following the original appeal, Yoder took the case to the state’s Supreme Court.

Wisconsin v. Yoder Trial:

In Wisconsin v. Yoder, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in Yoder’s favor—this ruling was later appealed by the state of Wisconsin to United States Supreme Court. Following the ruling in Wisconsin v. Yoder, The United States Supreme Court upheld the decision and ruled in favor Yoder in unanimous fashion. Justice William Douglas, who presided over the case, filed a partial dissent; however, he voted with the court in favor of Yoder, by stating “application of the compulsory school-attendance law violated their rights under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, made applicable to the States by the Fourteenth Amendment.”

The Case Profile of Wisconsin v. Yoder:

The following is a case profile of the legal trial eponymously titled Wisconsin v. Yoder:

Date of the Trial: Wisconsin v. Yoder was argued on December 8, 1971

Legal Classification: Constitutional Law

Date of the Delivery of the Verdict: Wisconsin v. Yoder was decided on May 15, 1972

Legal Venue of Wisconsin v. Yoder: Wisconsin Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court

Judicial Officer Responsible for Ruling: Chief Justice Warren E. Burger

Verdict Delivered: The Wisconsin Compulsory School Attendance Law violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment because required attendance passed the eighth grade interfered with the right of Amish parents to direct the religious upbringing of their children.

What is Anthrax?

Anthrax is an acute and deadly disease caused by Bacillus anthracis; in general, the majority of these forms of these diseases are lethal and the virus ultimately affects both humans and other animals.

Anthrax became prominent in the early 2000’s when several human cases of anthrax were directly liked to deliberate and violent exposure. This string of events raised concerns about the use of anthrax as a biological weapon and as a means to perpetuate terrorist attacks. Anthrax, when broken down, makes an extremely effective biological weapon, since the spores of Anthrax can remain dormant for a number of years and activate as soon as conditions become optimal. As a result of these characteristics, it is very easy to contract the deadly disease through inhalation, which ultimately leads to the potential for mass dispersal through explosives, aircraft transportation or random package drops.

The Anthrax Disease:

The Anthrax disease has long been known, for writings and archaeological evidence suggest that the disease has been known since the Ancient World. The disease caused by Anthrax primarily affects farm animals; human beings cannot pass the Anthrax disease onto each, making the Anthrax disease non-contagious. That being said, it takes slight exposure to just a few spores to lead to a serious infection. Similar to other bacterial infections, Anthrax may be treated with antibiotics.

Kinds of Anthrax:

There are three specific kinds of Anthrax: gastrointestinal, inhalation and cutaneous. Gastrointestinal Anthrax is caused through ingestion of infectious material, such as raw or uncooked meats. The patient, when infected with gastrointestinal Anthrax may experience severe diarrhea, a loss of appetite, nausea and a severe fever. Cutaneous anthrax is primarily contracted through open wounds or cuts on the skin. This form of Anthrax is characterized by small sores which eventually turn into large blisters with a black center.

The most serious and complex form of Anthrax is inhalation Anthrax; this form of Anthrax is caused by inhaling infectious spores which may be stirred up in soil, deliberately introduced into the environment or scraped from animal material.

Anthrax as a Weapon of Terror:

Anthrax was initially tested as a biological weapon by the Japanese army in the early 1930s; the majority of this testing involved exposing the deadly agent to prisoners of war—this testing precipitated thousands of deaths.

Anthrax was first stockpiled by the United States in the early 1970s when the nation signed the Biological Weapons Convention.

In theory, the spores of Anthrax can be cultivated without the obtainment of specialized equipment; all an individual needs to cultivate the deadly agent is a microbiological education. That being said, to produce large amounts of aerosol from Anthrax suitable for biological warfare requires extensive knowledge, training and advanced equipment.

Concentrated anthrax spores were first used as a weapon for bioterrorism in the 2001 anthrax attacks; the spores were delivered by mail and sent to several media outlets as well as two Democratic senators. As a result of these attacks, 22 individuals were infected and five eventually died.

In response to these attacks, the United States postal service sterilized most forms of mail by using a process of gamma irradiation and treatment through a proprietary enzyme formula.

What are Case Studies?

Case studies are common research methods incorporated within the field of social science.  Case studies therefore require the exhaustive evaluation and studying of a person, a small group of individuals, a single situation, or a specific case. Case studies are developed to reveal a correlation between two factors; case studies are incorporated into a social phenomenon or a legal matter to reveal whether or not a causal relationship can be proven. For example, a common social case study may reveal that obese people tend to drink a lot of skim milk. This information and subsequent conclusion would reveal that there is a direct correlation or at least an association between being obese and drinking skim milk. Although there is no scientific evidence that links drinking skim milk to obesity, case studies in this example, simply reveal a correlation between the two.

The evaluation of case studies is based on the in-depth investigation of a single individual, a group, or a specific event. As a result of this somewhat broad definition, case studies may be descriptive or explanatory in nature. The latter form is typically used to explore causation in order to find the underlying principles of a particular legal matter or social phenomenon.

As oppose to using samples and following a strict set of rules or a protocol to examine a limited number of variables, case studies will incorporate various methods that involve an in-depth examination of a single incident or a particular case. Case studies provide a systematic method to accurately investigate information, collect data, analyze information and report the results of a particular legal matter. As a result of these characteristics and general benefits, a researcher participating in case studies may gain a sharpened understanding of why the particular instance occurred as it did and what may become critical to further research and review. Case studies, through these benefits, lend themselves to both testing and generating hypotheses.

Case Studies as Research Strategy:

Another common suggestion aligned with case studies is that the method can be regarded as a researched strategy or as an empirical inquiry that investigates an odd occurrence within a real-life context. Case studies, as a research tool, means single and multiple case studies will include quantitative evidence, will rely on multiple sources of evidence and will benefit from any prior research or development of the underlying theoretical propositions.

Case studies are held separate from quantitative research; additionally, case studies can be founded and based on any combination of quantitative or qualitative evidence.

Structure of Case Studies:

A typical case is often not attached to a plethora of information; to clarify lines of causation it is typically more useful to evaluate subjects that offer a revealing set of information aligned with the particular case. As a result, a case selection that is primarily based on representatives or individual subjects will rarely be able to produce particular and exacting bits of insights. When selecting a subject for case studies, a researcher will use information-oriented sampling as oppose to random sampling.

What is a Case Study?

Case studies are distinct research methods incorporated within the field of social science.  Case studies require the exhaustive evaluation in alignment with the studying of a person, a small group of individuals, a single situation, or a specific case. Case studies are developed to reveal a correlation between two factors; case studies are incorporated into a social phenomenon or a legal matter to reveal whether or not a causal relationship can be proven.

For example, a common social case study may reveal that a lot of criminals tend to look at or purchase pornographic material. This information and subsequent conclusion would reveal that there is a direct correlation or at least an association between committing crimes and purchasing pornography.  Although there is no scientific evidence that links observing pornography to committing crimes, case studies in this example, simply reveal a correlation between the two.

The evaluation of case studies is based on the in-depth investigation of a single individual, a group, or a specific event. As a result of this somewhat broad definition, case studies may be descriptive or explanatory in nature. The latter form is typically used to explore causation in order to find the underlying principles of a particular legal matter or social phenomenon.

How do Case Studies Work?

As oppose to using samples and following a strict set of rules or a protocol to examine a limited number of variables, case studies will incorporate various methods that involve an in-depth examination of a relationship, a single incident or particular legal matter. Case studies provide a systematic method to accurately investigate information, collect data, analyze information and report the results of a particular legal matter. As a result of these characteristics and general benefits, a researcher participating in case studies may gain a sharpened understanding of why the particular instance occurred as it did and what may become critical to further research and review. Case studies, through these benefits, lend themselves to both testing and generating hypotheses.

Case Study Examples:

Common case study examples, in the modern era, will evaluate consumer behavior. These forms of case study examples, for instance, will evaluate why today’s consumers are cutting out needless purchases and getting rid of gadgets or gizmos that don’t add value to their lives. These case study examples will elucidate on why consumers will migrate to brands that express these particular values.

Other forms of case study examples will evaluate human behavior and the direct effects that lifestyle choices or consumer choices pose on the environment. Environmental case study examples, during the modern era, are extremely common to help quell some critical environmental problems. Directly linked into this category are case study examples that evaluate the benefits of various alternative energy sources. These forms of case study examples are distributed and evaluated to help reduce our reliance on foreign oil.

What is a Case Study?

A case study is a research method that is incorporated within the field of social science.  Case studies require a thorough evaluation that is predominantly aligned with the behavioral issues of a person or a small group of individuals.

A Case study will be developed to reveal a correlation between two factors; case studies are incorporated into a social phenomenon or a legal matter to reveal whether or not a causal relationship can be proven. For example, a common social case study may reveal that a large percentage of criminals tend to look at or purchase pornographic material. This information and subsequent conclusion would reveal that there is a direct correlation or at least an association between committing crimes and purchasing pornography.  Although there is no scientific evidence that links observing pornography to committing crimes, case studies in this example, simply reveal a correlation between the two.

All case studies aim to elucidate on a social phenomenon that denotes the presence of a relationship between goods, individuals or other entities. Regardless of the subject matter or the type of relationship being investigated, all of the research methods must incorporate a formal case study format.


Case Study Format and How to Write a Case Study:

A case study may be used in an academic or professional setting as a thorough and unique research method. Although there are several types of case studies (exploratory, illustrative critical instance, medical, narrative and cumulative) there are a few basic guidelines on how to write a formal case study and how to formulate a case study format.

To conduct a case study using proper case study format, you must first construct a template that will act as your guideline throughout the evaluation and writing process. This case study format and the guideline attached will improve how the document is organized, as well as how the document looks, feels and reads.

Following the creation of a guideline, to properly follow case study format, you must draw your reader in with a unique and catchy title. The title of the case study should attract the reader and pull them into keep reading. When you begin writing the paper, you must first identify the problem that is being explored within the case study.

Exploring the problem, in alignment with a formal case study format, will incorporate your ability to include a suitable or effective case/effect theory. When doing this you must give as much background as possible. During this process you must discuss the possible solution and how the specific issue was specifically resolved—when you are explaining the resolution you must elucidate upon which methods were used in the process.

After you have resolved the issue, proper case study format requires you to describe the benefits of the study. Describe how the benefits affect the group to which your case study is aimed.

Proper case study format requires you to utilize general-to-specific-to-general approaches; this approach should be used because it grasps the reader’s attention and the reveals how it applies to the group as a whole.

The Background of United States v. Morrison:

United States v. Morrison is a landmark United States Supreme Court decision which stated that parts of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 violated provisions of the United States Constitution because they exceeded congressional power under the Commerce Clause and more specifically, under section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The Violence against Women Act of 1994 contained a provision for a federal civil remedy to victims of gender-based violence, even in those instances when no criminal charges were filed by the victim. The case of United States v. Morrison revolves around Virginia Tech freshman college student, Christy Brzonkala, who was allegedly assaulted and raped by Antonio Morrison and James Crawford—members of the University’s football team.

School-conducted hearings proved futile, for the Court proceedings failed to punish both Morrison and Crawford. Furthermore, a subsequent state trial could not find sufficient evidence to either man; however, Brzonkala then filed a separate suit under the provisions of the Violence against Women Act.

The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia stated that the United States Congress lacked authority to enact the provision within the Violence against Women Act. Brzonkala then appealed the decision where a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed the decision 201. The Supreme Court of the United States then affirmed, in a 5-4 decision, that the United States Congress lacked the authority under the Commerce Clause or the Fourteenth Amendment to enact the law.

The Case Profile of United States v. Morrison:

The following is a case profile of the legal trial eponymously titled ‘United States v. Morrison’:

Date of the Trial: United States v. Morrison was argued on January 11, 2000

Legal Classification: Administrative Law; this legal field associated with events and circumstances in which the Federal Government of the United States engages its citizens, including the administration of government programs, the creation of agencies, and the establishment of a legal, regulatory federal standard

United States Reports Case Number: 529 U.S. 598

Date of the Delivery of the Verdict: United States v. Morrison was decided on May 15, 2000

Legal Venue of United States v. Morrison: The United States Supreme Court

Judicial Officer Responsible for Ruling: Chief Justice William Rehnquist

Verdict Delivered: The United States Supreme Court stated that the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and the provision within the act, is unconstitutional for it exceeds congressional power under the Commerce clause and also under section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

What are Cases?

Cases, in the scope of the law, refer to an official legal review of a dispute between opposing parties. Court cases will evaluate any number of legal issues that arise between opposing parties; the severity of the charges and the subject matter revolving around a court case will vary based on a case by case circumstance.

There are two predominant types of court cases: civil and criminal. Within each court case; however, there is a defending party (individual or party who is defending the claims made against them) and an accusing party or plaintiff who seeks justice for the alleged wrongdoing precipitated by the defending party.

Types of Cases:

Civil Cases: Civil cases, commonly known as lawsuits, begin when a plaintiff files a legally binding document called a complaint with a court system. The complaint, which initiates all civil cases, informs the court of the wrongdoing that took place and was precipitated by the defendant and caused the plaintiff to allegedly suffer some form of physical or monetary damage. Civil cases, similar to all forms of legal cases, aim to find a resolution or legal remedy to the underlying problem.

A civil case, when compared to a criminal case, can be resolved outside of the courtroom through arbitration or mediation. These forms of remedy may take the form of an injunction (which requires the defendant to perform or refrain from delivering some sort of action), an exchange of money (or a settlement), or a declaratory judgment, which will determine that the plaintiff has established legal rights that cannot be infringed.

In a civil case, the plaintiff must make a genuine effort to inform the defendant of the case through a service of process. This procedure informs the defendant similar that the plaintiff filed a complaint or legal matter with the underlying court. At any point during civil court cases, the parties may agree to partake in a settlement, which effectively ends the case, although in some situations, such as in class action lawsuits, a settlement will require court approval in order to maintain its legal binding status.

Criminal Court Cases: In common law jurisdictions, criminal court cases begin when a person suspected of a crime or felony is indicted by a grand jury or charged with the offense by a government official (district attorney or prosecutor).

Similar to civil court cases, all criminal court cases may also be settled before a formal trial; this process, which is known as a plea bargain, is offered in some jurisdictions and will be made available in alignment with the severity of the allegation. If a person does not attend a trial on their scheduled court date, they will incur additional penalties.

Fundamentals of all Cases:

All cases, whether civil or criminal, are based off the idea that any dispute will be resolved when a legal procedure is attached to the issue; the legal procedure in all court cases will evaluate all evidence and facts involved in the case. The legal procedure, thus, determines the truth of the issue with respect to claims of guilt, liability, innocence or a lack of fault.

The Background of United States v. Nixon:

United States v. Nixon was a landmark decision offered by the United States Supreme Court. The case revolved around the Watergate scandal, which began during the 1972 presidential campaign—a race between Democratic Senator George McGovern and incumbent Richard Nixon.

On June 17 of 1972, before Nixon claimed the election, five burglars broke into the Democratic headquarters located inside the Watergate building complex in Washington, D.C. Nixon, in response to the break-in at the Watergate, appointed a special prosecutor to investigate the incident for the Federal Government of the United States. In April of 1974, Leon Jaworski—the acting prosecutor—obtained a subpoena, which ordered President Nixon to release tapes and documents relating to specific meetings between the President and those indicted by the Grand Jury. The tapes effectively revealed the Watergate scandal; the conversations contained damaging evidence involving the men and even President Nixon himself.

In response to this evidence, Jaworski obtained a subpoena, which stated that the President turn over all conversations and documents linked with the Watergate scandal. President Nixon responded to this order by delivering edited transcripts of 43 conversations, which included only portions of the requested conversations outlined by the subpoena.

Watergate Scandal Trial:

Nixon’s attorney, James St. Clair, requested that Judge Sinica of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia terminate the subpoena; St. Clair argued that the President of the United States is not subject to the processes imposed by any court except the court of impeachment. Judge Sinca ultimately denied this motion and ordered the president to turn the tapes over by May 31st of the same year.

Both sides appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which opened the trial on July 8th. St. Clair argued that the President should not be subjected to “judicial resolution” since the matter revolved around the executive branch; St. Clair felt as though the branch should resolve the issue “in-house.” Furthermore, St. Clair also felt that Jaworski did not effectively prove that the requested materials were necessary for the trial of the accused men involved with in the Watergate scandal.

After the court stated that it could resolve the matter and that Jaworski had indeed provided a sufficient likelihood that the evidence contained conversations relevant to the charges, the Court rejected Nixon’s claim to an “absolute Presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process under all circumstances.”

The Case Profile of United States v. Nixon:

The following is a case profile of the legal trial eponymously titled ‘United States v. Nixon’:

Date of the Trial: United States v. Nixon was argued on July 8, 1974

Accused Criminal Activity: The following criminal activity and charges were cited by the United States against President Richard Nixon within the appeal brought forth subsequent to the initial ruling:

President Nixon was charged with coordinating the break-in of the Watergate hotel, which housed key documents that would reveal the democratic strategy for the 1972 election.

United States Reports Case Number: 1039; 1974 U.S.

Date of the Delivery of the Verdict: United States v. Nixon was decided on July 24, 1974

Legal Venue of United States v. Nixon: The United States Supreme Court

Judicial Officer Responsible for Ruling: Chief Justice Burger

Verdict Delivered: The United States Supreme Court possesses the final say in determining constitutional questions; no individual, including the President of the United States, is above the law; and the President of the United States cannot use executive privileges as an excuse to withhold evidence that is relevant to a criminal trial.