Cummings v. Missouri

E879579

Cummings v. Missouri was an 1867 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down post–Civil War loyalty oath requirements as unconstitutional bills of attainder and ex post facto laws.

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Label Occurrences
Cummings v. Missouri canonical 1

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States Supreme Court case
landmark United States Supreme Court decision
citation 71 U.S. (4 Wall.) 277
constitutionalDoctrine limits on loyalty oaths as conditions on professional practice
non-retroactivity of criminal punishment
prohibition of legislative punishment without trial
constitutionalProvisionInterpreted Article I, Section 10, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution NERFINISHED
Article I, Section 9, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution NERFINISHED
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution NERFINISHED
country United States of America
surface form: United States
decidedBy Supreme Court of the United States NERFINISHED
decisionDate 1867
decisionType majority opinion with dissents
effect limited states’ ability to impose punitive loyalty oaths
protected clergy from retroactive punishment for past political sympathies
strengthened constitutional protections against bills of attainder
strengthened constitutional protections against ex post facto laws
fullCaseName Cummings v. The State of Missouri NERFINISHED
hasJurisdiction United States federal law NERFINISHED
historicalContext Reconstruction era following the American Civil War NERFINISHED
holding Missouri’s loyalty oath could not be applied to a Catholic priest for past conduct
Missouri’s loyalty oath requirement was unconstitutional as a bill of attainder
Missouri’s loyalty oath requirement was unconstitutional as an ex post facto law
legalIssue First Amendment free exercise of religion
bill of attainder
constitutionality of post–Civil War loyalty oaths
ex post facto law
legalProvisionChallenged Missouri Constitution loyalty oath provision NERFINISHED
majorityOpinionBy Justice Stephen J. Field NERFINISHED
originatingJurisdiction State of Missouri NERFINISHED
partyRole Cummings was a Catholic priest
penaltyChallenged disqualification from preaching without taking loyalty oath
petitioner John A. Cummings NERFINISHED
relatedAreaOfLaw civil liberties
constitutional law
separation of powers
relatedCase Ex parte Garland NERFINISHED
reporter United States Reports
respondent State of Missouri NERFINISHED
stateInvolved Missouri NERFINISHED
subsequentInfluence cited in later cases on bills of attainder
cited in later cases on ex post facto laws
timePeriod 19th century
volumeInUnitedStatesReports 71
voteSplit 5–4

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Chase Court notableCase Cummings v. Missouri