Watkins v. United States
Case Date: 09/15/2025
|
Watkins v. United States, 354 U.S. 178 (1957), was a case brought to the Supreme Court of the United States after John Watkins was convicted under 2 U.S.C. § 192, for failing to answer questions while posed as a witness relating to people he may have known to be communist. Under a committee of the House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities, Watkins stated he did not wish to answer these questions, as they were outside of the scope he had been called upon, and of the committee.
2 U.S.C. 192 states it is an offense for a witness to refuse to answer question "pertinent to the question under inquiry." Watkins claimed he had not been given sufficient time to ascertain whether he could refuse questions or not; thus branding his conviction unlawful. As a result of the appeal, a panel decided 6-1 to overturn Watkins' conviction. Chief Justice Earl Warren supported Watkins' views, saying that the power of the United States Congress is not unlimited in conducting investigations, and that there was no authority given to expose individuals' private affairs.
|