Alaska Airlines, Inc. v. Brock

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:33:34 +0000

Case Basics

Docket No.

85-920

Petitioner

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

Petitioner Type

Petitioner

Respondent

Brock

Respondent Type

Respondent

Heard By

Rehnquist Court (1986-1987)

Decided By

Rehnquist Court (1986-1987)

Opinion

480 U.S. 678 (1987)

Argued

Monday, December 1, 1986

Decided

Tuesday, March 24, 1987

Advocates

Louis R. Cohen (on behalf of the Respondents)

William T. Coleman, Jr. (on behalf of the Petitioners)

Facts of the Case

None

Question

None

Conclusion

Decision: 9 votes for Brock, 0 vote(s) against
Legal provision: 49 U.S.C. 1552

None

INS v. Chadha

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:06:15 +0000

Location

Congress

Constitution and Delaware Street Washington D.C. 20002

Washington 20002

United States

38° 53' 31.1496" N, 77° 0' 29.1744" W

See map: Google Maps

Case Basics

Docket No.

80-1832

Petitioner

Chadha

Respondent

Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)

Consolidation

United States House of Representatives v. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), No. 80-2170

United States Senate v. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), No. 80-2171

Heard By

Burger Court (1981-1986)

Decided By

Burger Court (1981-1986)

Opinion

462 U.S. 919 (1983)

Argued

Monday, February 22, 1982

Reargued:

Tuesday, December 7, 1982

Decided

Thursday, June 23, 1983

Advocates

Alan B. Morrison (Reargued the cause for Jagdish Rai Chadha in all cases)

Michael Davidson (Reargued the cause for the petitioner in No. 80-2171)

Eugene Gressman (Reargued the cause for the petitioner in No. 80-2170)

Rex E. Lee (Reargued the cause for the Immigration and Naturalization Service in all cases)

Facts of the Case

In one section of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Congress authorized either House of Congress to invalidate and suspend deportation rulings of the United States Attorney General. Chadha had stayed in the U.S. past his visa deadline. Though Chadha conceded that he was deportable, an immigration judge suspended his deportation. The House of Representatives voted without debate or recorded vote to deport Chadha. This case was decided together with United States House of Representatives v. Chadha and United States Senate v. Chadha.

Question

Did the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allowed a one-House veto of executive actions, violate the separation of powers doctrine?

Conclusion

Decision: 7 votes for Chadha, 2 vote(s) against
Legal provision: Immigration and Naturalization, Immigration, Nationality, or Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Acts, as amended

The Court held that the particular section of the Act in question did violate the Constitution. Recounting the debates of the Constitutional Convention over issues of bicameralism and separation of powers, Chief Justice Burger concluded that even though the Act would have enhanced governmental efficiency, it violated the "explicit constitutional standards" regarding lawmaking and congressional authority.

Cases by Issue - Legislative Veto

Alaska Airlines, Inc. v. Brock

INS v. Chadha

Location