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Alexander v. VirginiaAlexander v. Virginia

Supreme Court of the United States
Oct 9, 1973
71-1315
Reporters:
, , ,
Before:
Brennan

Lead Opinion

Per Curiam.

The judgment of the Supreme Court of Virginia is vacated and the case is remanded ‍​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‍for further proceedings not inconsistent with Miller v. California, ante, at 23-25, Paris Adult Theatre I v. Slaton, ante, at 58 n. 7, and Heller v. New York, ante, p. 483. See United States v. 12 200-ft. Reels of Film, ante, at 129-130 and n. 7. A trial by ‍​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‍jury is not constitutionally required in this state civil proceeding pursuant to § 18.1-236.3 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended. See Melancon v. McKeithen, 345 F. Supp. 1025, 1027, 1035-1045, 1048 (ED La.), aff‘d sub nom. Mayes v. Ellis, 409 ‍​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‍U. S. 943 (1972), and Hill v. Mc-*837Keithen, 409 U. S. 943 (1972). Cf. Kingsley Books, Inc. v. Brown, 354 U. S. 436, 443-444 (1957).

Vacated and remanded.

Mr. Justice Douglas would reverse the judgment of the Supreme Court of Virginia. See Miller v. California, ante, p. 37 (Douglas, ‍​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‍J., dissenting).






Dissenting Opinion

Mr. Justice Brennan,

with whom Mr. Justice Stewart and Mr. Justice Marshall join, dissenting.

I would reverse the judgment of the Supreme Court of Virginia and remand the case for further proceedings not ‍​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‍inconsistent with my dissenting opinion in Paris Adult Theatre I v. Slaton, ante, p. 73. See my dissent in Miller v. California, ante, p. 47.

Case Details

Case Name: Alexander v. Virginia
Court Name: Supreme Court of the United States
Date Published: Oct 9, 1973
Citations: 413 U.S. 836; 93 S. Ct. 2803; 37 L. Ed. 2d 993; 1973 U.S. LEXIS 38; 71-1315
Docket Number: 71-1315
Court Abbreviation: U.S.
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