United States v. Kirby

74 U.S. 482 (1868)

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United States v. Kirby

United States Supreme Court
74 U.S. 482 (1868)

  • Written by Lauren Petersen, JD
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Facts

A federal statute prohibited the obstruction of mail or mail carriers. A Kentucky state court indicted Farris for murder and issued bench warrants for his arrest. Farris was a mail carrier. Pursuant to these warrants, Sheriff Kirby and his posse (defendants) arrested Farris while he was transporting mail from Louisville, Kentucky, to Cincinnati, Ohio. The defendants were charged with violating the statute by arresting Farris and thereby obstructing the mail and a mail carrier. The District Court for the District of Kentucky certified the case to the Circuit Court of the District of Kentucky, which certified the question to the United States Supreme Court of whether the defendants had obstructed the mail within the meaning of the statute.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Field, J.)

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