Doggett v. United States
Encyclopedia
Doggett v. United States, , was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States
. Doggett was indicted in 1980 on drug related charges, but having left the US before he could be arrested, was considered a fugitive. He returned to the US in 1982 and proceeded to live a seemingly normal life. The Government did not continue to pursue him actively and it was only by coincidence that they became aware of him in 1988, leading to his late arrest. The court held that the 8½ year delay between indictment and arrest violated his Sixth Amendment
right to a speedy trial, arguing that the Government had been negligent in pursuing him and that Doggett had remained unaware of the indictment until his arrest.
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. Doggett was indicted in 1980 on drug related charges, but having left the US before he could be arrested, was considered a fugitive. He returned to the US in 1982 and proceeded to live a seemingly normal life. The Government did not continue to pursue him actively and it was only by coincidence that they became aware of him in 1988, leading to his late arrest. The court held that the 8½ year delay between indictment and arrest violated his Sixth Amendment
Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights which sets forth rights related to criminal prosecutions...
right to a speedy trial, arguing that the Government had been negligent in pursuing him and that Doggett had remained unaware of the indictment until his arrest.
See also
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 505
- List of United States Supreme Court cases
- Lists of United States Supreme Court cases by volume
- List of United States Supreme Court cases by the Rehnquist Court