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MORRISON v. OLSON Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The Supreme Court upheld the Ethics in Government Act, which allowed a special court to appoint an independent counsel to investigate executive branch officials. The Court found the law did not violate the separation of powers or the President’s constitutional authority over appointments and removals.
Legal Significance: This case established a flexible, functionalist approach to separation of powers, holding that Congress can limit the President’s control over executive officers so long as the limitation does not impermissibly interfere with the President’s core constitutional functions.
MORRISON v. OLSON Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 allowed for the appointment of an “independent counsel” to investigate and prosecute high-ranking government officials. Under the Act, upon receiving sufficient information, the Attorney General conducts a preliminary investigation. If the AG finds “reasonable grounds to believe that further investigation or prosecution is warranted,” the AG must apply to a special three-judge court (the Special Division) for the appointment of an independent counsel. The Special Division then appoints the counsel and defines their prosecutorial jurisdiction. The Act grants the counsel full prosecutorial powers but provides that they can be removed by the Attorney General only for “good cause.” Following a congressional investigation, the Attorney General sought the appointment of an independent counsel, Alexia Morrison, to investigate allegations that Theodore Olson, an Assistant Attorney General, had provided false testimony to a House subcommittee. Morrison issued subpoenas, which Olson and others moved to quash, arguing that the independent counsel provisions of the Act were unconstitutional as they violated the Appointments Clause and the principle of separation of powers.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, by providing for the appointment of an independent counsel by a special court and limiting the Attorney General’s ability to remove that counsel to instances of ‘good cause,’ violate the constitutional principle of separation of powers or the Appointments Clause of Article II?
No, the independent counsel provisions of the Ethics in Government Act are Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit an
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Does the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, by providing for the appointment of an independent counsel by a special court and limiting the Attorney General’s ability to remove that counsel to instances of ‘good cause,’ violate the constitutional principle of separation of powers or the Appointments Clause of Article II?
Conclusion
This landmark decision endorsed a flexible, functional approach to separation of powers, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris
Legal Rule
Congress may vest the power to appoint an "inferior officer," even one Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in repre
Legal Analysis
The Court's analysis proceeded in three main parts. First, addressing the Appointments Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderi
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- The independent counsel created by the Ethics in Government Act is