THOMAS v. COLLINS

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Case Basics
Docket No. 
14
Petitioner 
Thomas
Respondent 
Collins
Decided By 
Stone Court (1943-1945)
Opinion 
323 U.S. 516 (1945)
Argued 
Wednesday, October 11, 1944
Decided 
Monday, January 8, 1945
Term:
Facts of the Case 

A Texas law required union officials to obtain an organizer's card before soliciting possible members. A judge convicted a labor organizer of contempt for speaking at a union rally without a permit.

Question 

Does the Texas law requiring labor organizers to secure permission to solicit members violate the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment?

Conclusion 

Yes, the law was unconstitutional. It interfered with freedom of speech and freedom of assembly which possesses "a sanctity and a sanction not permitting dubious intrusions."

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THOMAS v. COLLINS. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 27 April 2013. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1949/1944/1944_14>.
THOMAS v. COLLINS, The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, http://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1949/1944/1944_14 (last visited April 27, 2013).
"THOMAS v. COLLINS," The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, accessed April 27, 2013, http://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1949/1944/1944_14.