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POWELL v. McCORMACK Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The House of Representatives excluded duly elected Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. for alleged misconduct. The Supreme Court held that the House lacks authority to exclude a member-elect who meets the express age, citizenship, and residency qualifications set forth in the Constitution.
Legal Significance: This landmark case limits the political question doctrine, establishing that federal courts can review Congress’s membership qualifications. It holds that Article I, Section 5 is a “textually demonstrable commitment” for Congress to judge only the enumerated qualifications in the Constitution, not to create new ones.
POWELL v. McCORMACK Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Petitioner Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was duly elected to the 90th Congress from New York. However, the House of Representatives voted to prevent him from taking his seat. A House Select Committee had investigated Powell’s alleged financial misconduct during the preceding Congress, including diverting House funds and making false expenditure reports. The committee’s report found that Powell met the standing qualifications for membership under Article I, § 2 of the Constitution (age, citizenship, and residency). Nevertheless, based on the misconduct findings, the full House adopted House Resolution No. 278, which excluded Powell and declared his seat vacant. The vote was 307 to 116. Powell and several of his constituents filed suit, seeking a declaratory judgment that the exclusion was unconstitutional and an injunction to compel his seating. While the case was pending, the 90th Congress ended, and Powell was elected to and seated by the 91st Congress, though he was fined and stripped of seniority. Respondents argued the case was moot and presented a non-justiciable political question.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does the House of Representatives have the authority under Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution to exclude a duly elected member who meets the standing qualifications for membership enumerated in Article I, Section 2?
No. The House of Representatives was without power to exclude Powell, as 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
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 House of Representatives have the authority under Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution to exclude a duly elected member who meets the standing qualifications for membership enumerated in Article I, Section 2?
Conclusion
Powell v. McCormack firmly establishes the judiciary's authority to interpret the constitutional 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
Legal Rule
Under Article I, § 5, cl. 1, the House of Representatives is 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.
Legal Analysis
The Court's analysis centered on whether the issue was a non-justiciable political 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
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- The House of Representatives cannot exclude a duly elected member who
