Zwickler v. Koota, 389 U.S. 241 (1967), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that a federal court cannot use the abstention doctrine to avoid a constitutional issue merely because it determines that the plaintiff is unlikely to receive the relief they requested.[1] The underlying case was about an anonymous handbill law that the Court believed was overbroad.[2]
Zwickler v. Koota | |
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Decided December 5, 1967 | |
Full case name | Zwickler v. Koota |
Citations | 389 U.S. 241 (more) |
Holding | |
A federal court cannot use the abstention doctrine to avoid a constitutional issue merely because it determines that the plaintiff is unlikely to receive the relief they requested. | |
Court membership | |
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Case opinions | |
Majority | Brennan |
Concurrence | Harlan |