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United States v. Balint
Supreme Court of the United States (1922) | 258 U.S. 250; 42 S. Ct. 301; 66 L. Ed. 604; 1922 U.S. LEXIS 2266
TL;DR: Defendants sold narcotics without the required federal form. The Supreme Court held that the government did not need to prove the defendants knew the drugs were illegal, establishing a key precedent for strict liability public welfare offenses.
Legal Significance: This case established that for certain "public welfare" statutes intended to protect public health and safety, Congress may omit the traditional mens rea (guilty mind) requirement, creating a strict liability criminal offense.