Le Maistre v. Leffers

Le Maistre v. Leffers (1948)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
This case involved the application of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act (SSCRA). The Court emphasized that the Act must be liberally construed to protect servicemembers, ensuring that those in military service are not disadvantaged in civil legal proceedings because of their service obligations.

3) Why It Mattered
The decision cemented the principle that courts should interpret servicemember protections broadly, not narrowly, in order to carry out Congress’s intent.

Military Service Cases

Conroy v. Aniskoff

Conroy v. Aniskoff (1993)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
The case concerned the tolling of statutes of limitations under the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act (SSCRA). The Supreme Court unanimously reaffirmed that the Act must be read liberally in favor of servicemembers, rejecting attempts to narrowly limit its scope.

3) Why It Mattered
The ruling reinforced decades of precedent that servicemember protections are not just technicalities but must be given their full protective effect.

Supreme Court Cases

Gordon v. Pete’s Auto Service

Gordon v. Pete’s Auto Service (2011)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the opinion (Justia link)

2) Summary of the Opinion
The case addressed whether protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) extend to a servicemember’s dependents. Gordon, the spouse of a deployed servicemember, sought protection under the SCRA. The Fourth Circuit held that SCRA protections do extend to dependents in certain circumstances.

3) Why It Mattered
This case clarified that SCRA’s shield is not limited strictly to servicemembers but can also safeguard their families, reflecting Congress’s intent to protect the military household.