Selective Service System v. Minn. Pub. Int.

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Oral Argument

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Advocates

William J. Keppel (Argued the cause for the appellees)

Rex E. Lee (Argued the cause for the appellants)

Case Basics

Docket No.:

83-276

Appellee:

Minn. Pub. Int.

Appellant:

Selective Service System

Decided By:

Burger Court (1981-1986)

Opinion:

468 U.S. 841 (1984)

Argued:

Monday, April 23, 1984

Decided:

Thursday, July 5, 1984

Issues:

Criminal Procedure, Self-Incrimination

Cite this page

The Oyez Project, Selective Service System v. Minn. Pub. Int. , 468 U.S. 841 (1984)
available at: (http://oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1983/1983_83_276)

Facts of the Case:

Part of the Department of Defense Authorization Act of 1983 denied federal financial aid to males between the ages of 18 and 26 who had failed to register for selective service. Applicants for financial aid were required to inform their universities that they had (or had not) registered for the draft.

Question:

Did compelling individuals to state whether or not they had registered violate the Fifth Amendment?

Conclusion:

The Court upheld the law. Since no student is compelled to seek financial aid, requiring an applicant to state whether or not he had registered for the draft would not be equivalent to forcing an individual to incriminate himself.

Decisions

Decision: 6 votes for Selective Service System, 2 vote(s) against
Legal provision: Self-Incrimination

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