- McBoyle v. United States
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McBoyle v. United States 
Supreme Court of the United StatesArgued February 26–27, 1931
Decided March 9, 1931Full case name McBoyle v. United States Citations 283 U.S. 25 (more)
51 S. Ct. 340; 75 L. Ed. 816; 1931 U.S. LEXIS 861Prior history Certiorari to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Holding The court held that since the law did not specify aircraft, it did not apply to aircraft. Court membership Chief Justice
Charles E. HughesAssociate Justices
Oliver W. Holmes, Jr. · Willis Van Devanter
James C. McReynolds · Louis Brandeis
George Sutherland · Pierce Butler
Harlan F. Stone · Owen J. RobertsCase opinions Majority Holmes, joined by unanimous Laws applied U.S. Const. McBoyle v. United States, 283 U.S. 25 (1931), was a United States Supreme Court case.
Contents
Background
McBoyle transported a plane that he knew to be stolen from Ottawa, Illinois to Guymon, Oklahoma.
Case
McBoyle was accused of violating the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act[1]. The petitioners claimed that since the act did not specifically mention aircraft, it did not apply to aircraft.
Decision
The court held that, since other acts - such as the Tariff Act of 1930[2] - specifically excluded aircraft in its definition of a vehicle, the law must be interpreted narrowly. Justice Holmes stated:
Although it is not likely that a criminal will carefully consider the text of the law before he murders or steals, it is reasonable that a fair warning should be given to the world in language that the common world will understand, of what the law intends to do if a certain line is passed. To make the warning fair, so far as possible the line should be clear.
This case is a good example of the canon of ejusdem generis ("of the same kind, class, or nature").
See also
References
External links
- Full text from Buffalo Center for Law
Categories:- 1931 in United States case law
- United States Supreme Court cases
- United States statutory interpretation case law
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