Chain Gangs
In the late 1860s, state legislatures authorized judges to sentence offenders to work on chain gangs.
Read the full storyChambers v. Florida, 309 U.S. 227 (1940)
Torturing a man to confess a crime is an ancient evil. Subtler pressures can also break a man. Under the Fifth Amendment, Bram v. United States, and the Fourteenth Amendment, the Constitution outlaws the use of mental pressure or physical force to get a confession.
Read the full storyChambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284 (1973)
Unreasonable application of evidentiary principles against a criminal defendant may violate the U.S. Constitution on any number of grounds, including the Compulsory Process, Due Process, or Confrontation Clauses.
Read the full storyWhittaker Chambers (1901–1961)
Whittaker Chambers, born Jay Vivian Chambers in Brooklyn, New York, in 1901, was a central figure in one of the most sensational of the post-1945 Red Scare investigations conducted by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).
Read the full storyChandler v. Florida, 449 U.S. 560 (1981)
The Supreme Court ruled in Chandler v. Florida that the Constitution did not require an absolute ban on cameras in the courtroom, marking a significant change in its thinking on the issue.
Read the full storyChandler v. Miller, 520 U.S. 305 (1997) (Candidates)
In 1990, the Georgia legislature passed a law requiring that each candidate for state office certify that he or she had tested negative for illegal drugs.
Read the full storyChaplains: Legislative
The practice of using a chaplain to offer a prayer at the beginning of each legislative session dates back to the first session of the first congress.
Read the full storyChaplains: Military
Military chaplains originated in biblical times and have long been recognized as an important component of many armed forces. They have served in Western armies since at least the fourth century.
Read the full storyCharitable Choice
Charitable Choice is a set of statutory parameters attached to a social service program with the purpose of making the government more welcoming to all faith-based social service providers.
Read the full storyChase Court (1864–1873)
The Chase Court combined powerful rhetoric in favor of civil liberties with very little protection for civil liberties.
Read the full storySamuel Chase (1744–1811)
Although an ardent patriot, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and an associate justice of the U. S. Supreme Court who made a significant contribution to nineteenth-century American jurisprudence. . .
Read the full storyCesar Chavez (1927–1993)
Cesar Chavez, farm worker, civil rights activist, and union leader, was born near Yuma, Arizona, to Librado Chavez and Juana Estrada, who owned a farm and several small businesses.
Read the full storyCheckpoints (Roadblocks)
If police set up a checkpoint (also known as a roadblock) on the highway, requiring all drivers to stop and answer some questions, is that constitutional? The answer is yes if certain conditions are met.
Read the full storyErwin Chemerinsky (1953–)
Erwin Chemerinsky was born May 14, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up on the south side of Chicago in a working class family and was the first member of his family to go to college.
Read the full storyCaryl Chessman (1921–1960)
Caryl Chessman, born in St. Joseph, Michigan, in 1921, grew up in Glendale, California. During the Depression, Chessman began stealing food to provide for his family.
Read the full story