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Nixon v. United States

Significance, Another Nixon, A Different Impeachment, Simple Words: "try" And "sole"



Petitioner

Walter Nixon, U.S. District Judge

Respondent

United States, et al.

Petitioner's Claim

That Senate Rule XI, which allowed a Senate committee to hear evidence against an impeached official and present a report to the full Senate, violated the Constitution's Impeachment Trial Clause.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner

David Overlock Stewart

Chief Lawyer for Respondent

Kenneth Starr, U.S. Solicitor General

Justices for the Court

Harry A. Blackmun, Anthony M. Kennedy, Sandra Day O'Connor, William H. Rehnquist (writing for the Court), Antonin Scalia, David H. Souter, John Paul Stevens, Clarence Thomas, Byron R. White

Justices Dissenting

None

Place

Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision

13 January 1993

Decision

That Nixon's claim regarding Senate Rule XI was nonjusticiable--that is, it was outside the Court's control, since the Constitution provided that the "Senate shall have sole Power to try any impeachments."

Related Cases

  • Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186 (1962).
  • Powell v. McCormack, 395 U.S. 486 (1969).
  • Associated General Contractors v. City of Jacksonville, 508 U.S. 656 (1993).
  • Reno v. Catholic Social Services, 509 U.S. 43 (1993).

Additional topics

Law Library - American Law and Legal InformationNotable Trials and Court Cases - 1989 to 1994