Harris v. Nelson
United States Supreme Court
394 U.S. 286 (1969)
- Written by Arlyn Katen, JD
Facts
Alfred Walker was convicted of marijuana possession and eventually filed a petition for habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. After Chief Judge George Harris (plaintiff) granted Walker’s motion for an evidentiary hearing, Walker served interrogatories upon Warden Louis Nelson (defendant) pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP). Nelson objected to the interrogatories, arguing that no authority compelled Nelson to respond to them. Judge Harris directed Nelson to respond to the interrogatories. Nelson brought an action against Judge Harris in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by applying for a writ of mandamus or prohibition. The Ninth Circuit held that the FRCP’s discovery proceedings did not apply to habeas corpus proceedings and vacated the district court’s order directing interrogatories. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Fortas, J.)
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