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Candidate Notes on 99-5525

 


99-5525 on Apr 19, 2000

Mr. Dickerson, under indictment for bank robbery and related federal crimes, moved to suppress a statement he had made to the FBI, on the ground he had not received “Miranda warnings” before being interrogated. The Government appealed [on the grounds that] his statement was voluntary [as allowed by a Congressional law]. That court concluded that Miranda was not a constitutional holding, and that, therefore, Congress could by statute have the final say on the admissibility question.

Held:

(Rehnquist, joined by Stevens, O’Connor, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer)
In Miranda v. Arizona (1966), we held that certain warnings must be given before a suspect’s statement could be admitted in evidence. Congress then enacted a rule that the admissibility of such statements should turn only on whether or not they were voluntarily made. We hold that Miranda, being a constitutional decision of this Court, may not be in effect overruled by an Act of Congress,

and we decline to overrule Miranda ourselves.

Dissent:

(Scalia, joined by Thomas)
Today’s decision is not a reaffirmation of Miranda, but a radical revision of the most significant element of Miranda. Marbury v. Madison (1803), held that an Act of Congress will not be enforced by the courts if what it prescribes violates the Constitution. That was the basis on which Miranda was decided. One will search today’s opinion in vain, however, for a statement (surely simple enough to make) that [the law in this case] violates the Constitution. [Instead, the Court is adopting] a significant new principle of constitutional law, in which statutes of Congress can be disregarded, not only when what they prescribe violates the Constitution, but when what they prescribe contradicts a decision of this Court that “announced a constitutional rule.” I dissent.

Participating counts on VoteMatch question 9.



Democrats participating in 99-5525



Republicans participating in 99-5525



Independents participating in 99-5525

Stephen Breyer j1US Supreme Court
Ruth Bader Ginsburg j1US Supreme Court
Anthony Kennedy j1US Supreme Court
Sandra Day O'Connor j1US Supreme Court
William Rehnquist w1US Supreme Court
Antonin Scalia w2dUS Supreme Court
David Souter j1US Supreme Court
John Paul Stevens j1US Supreme Court
Clarence Thomas j2dUS Supreme Court



Total recorded by OnTheIssues:

Democrats: 0
Republicans: 0
Independents: 9