United States v. Fenwick
Circuit Court, District of Columbia
April 1836 Term
Full case name: United States v. Fenwick Citations: Prior history: Judgment for the Appellant, appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia Subsequent history:
Holding
Conviction for rioting.
Court membership
Circuit Judges William Cranch William Cranch William Cranch was an American judge and the second reporter of decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States.-Early life:Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, he was a nephew of Abigail Adams...
Case opinions
Majority by: William Cranch William Cranch William Cranch was an American judge and the second reporter of decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States.-Early life:Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, he was a nephew of Abigail Adams... , for the Court
Laws applied

United States v. Fenwick, 13,387

Case citation

Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...

 (D.C. Cir.

United States District Court for the District of Columbia

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...

 1836), was a decision of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia

United States District Court for the District of Columbia

The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...

 that was handed down April 7, 1836. Confirmed right of defendant in criminal case not to have judge render decision on motions until all arguments made, to defer making those arguments until the jury is empaneled, and to make those legal arguments to the jury.

Impact

The case has been cited by proponents of jury nullification

Jury nullification

Jury nullification occurs in a trial when a jury reaches a verdict contrary to the judge's instructions as to the law.A jury verdict contrary to the letter of the law pertains only to the particular case before it; however, if a pattern of acquittals develops in response to repeated attempts to...

 because the jury was allowed to decide an issue of law.

See also

• United States District Court for the District of Columbia
  United States District Court for the District of Columbia
  The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...
  
  
• List of notable United States Courts of Appeals cases