Schenck v. United States (1919)

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

2) Summary of the Opinion
Charles Schenck was convicted under the Espionage Act for distributing leaflets urging resistance to the military draft during World War I. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction, ruling that free speech could be restricted if it posed a “clear and present danger” to significant government interests, such as wartime recruitment.