In re Debs Supreme Court case

E58074

In re Debs was an 1895 U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld the federal government’s authority to use injunctions and troops to end the Pullman Strike, significantly expanding federal power over labor disputes and interstate commerce.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf United States Supreme Court case
federal courts case
labor law case
alsoKnownAs Debs v. United States
surface form: "Debs v. United States (informal name)"
areaOfLaw constitutional law
federal courts and jurisdiction
interstate commerce
labor law
citationStyle In re Debs Supreme Court case
surface form: "In re Debs, 158 U.S. 564 (1895)"
court Supreme Court of the United States
decisionDate 1895-05-27
decisionType unanimous decision
effect expanded federal power over labor disputes affecting interstate commerce
limited autonomy of labor unions in nationwide strikes
strengthened use of labor injunctions against unions
fullName In re Debs Supreme Court case
surface form: "In re Debs, 158 U.S. 564 (1895)"
historicalContext Gilded Age labor conflicts
historicalSignificance landmark case in legitimizing federal intervention in labor strikes
holding The contempt convictions of Eugene V. Debs and others for violating a federal injunction were upheld.
The federal government may obtain injunctions to halt labor strikes that interfere with interstate commerce and the mails.
Federal government
surface form: "The federal government may use troops to enforce federal court injunctions and ensure the operation of interstate commerce and the mails."
involvedOrganization American Railway Union
Pullman Palace Car Company
United States Army
United States Department of Justice
involvedPerson Eugene V. Debs
jurisdiction United States of America
surface form: "United States"
legalIssue contempt of court for violating injunction
federal authority over interstate commerce
federal authority over the mails
federal power to issue labor injunctions
location Washington, D.C.
majorityOpinionBy David J. Brewer
surface form: "Justice David J. Brewer"
page 564
petitioner United States of America
surface form: "United States"
precedentFor later federal labor injunction cases
relatedConcept federal police power
interstate commerce clause
labor injunction
mail power of Congress
relatedEvent Pullman Strike
respondent Eugene V. Debs
officers of the American Railway Union
subjectMatter federal injunctions in labor disputes
scope of federal police power
use of federal troops in domestic disturbances
volume 158 U.S.
vote 9-0
year 1895

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

In re Debs Supreme Court case citationStyle In re Debs Supreme Court case
subject surface form: "In re Debs"
this entity surface form: "In re Debs, 158 U.S. 564 (1895)"
Pullman Strike followedBy In re Debs Supreme Court case
In re Debs Supreme Court case fullName In re Debs Supreme Court case
subject surface form: "In re Debs"
this entity surface form: "In re Debs, 158 U.S. 564 (1895)"
Attorney General Richard Olney notableWork In re Debs Supreme Court case
subject surface form: "Richard Olney"
this entity surface form: "Use of federal injunctions in the Pullman Strike"
American Railway Union subjectOf In re Debs Supreme Court case

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