Princeton University v. Schmid
United States Supreme Court
455 U.S. 100 (1982)
- Written by Jennifer Flinn, JD
Facts
Schmid (defendant) was convicted of criminal trespassing for distributing political materials on the Princeton University (plaintiff) campus. Schmid was not a student and had not received permission from the university to distribute materials on campus as required by the university’s regulations. Schmid’s conviction was reviewed by the New Jersey Supreme Court, which invited the university to intervene in the case. While the appeal was pending, the university amended its regulations regarding distributing materials on campus. The New Jersey Supreme Court reversed the conviction, ruling that Schmid’s constitutional rights to free speech and assembly had been violated by the university’s regulation in effect at the time Schmid was arrested. The university sought an appeal to the United States Supreme Court, arguing that the reversal of Schmid’s conviction violated its rights under the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Per curiam)
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