Birchfield v. North Dakota was a SCOTUS in the Classroom Case. It was decided on June 23, 2016.
Each term Street Law selects the most classroom-relevant, student-friendly cases as our SCOTUS in the Classroom cases. Teachers are encouraged to conduct moot courts the same week the case is argued, giving students the opportunity to follow discussion and analysis in the news and listen to or read a transcript of the actual oral arguments.
Case Issue:
Can a state make it a crime for a driver to refuse to take a test to detect alcohol in the driver’s blood?
Case Briefs:
- Brief of Petitioner: Danny Birchfield
- Brief of Respondent: State of North Dakota
- Amici: available on the SCOTUSblog case page
Oral Argument:
Decision:
News Articles and Resources:
- Supreme Court to review blood-test requirement for DWI cases (Washington Post)
- Court to rule on drunk-driving tests (SCOTUSblog)
How to Conduct a Moot Court or a Mini-Moot Court:
Since 1995, Street Law, Inc. has been developing curricular materials to help teach about modern and historic Supreme Court cases.
All Street Law Case Summaries include the following sections: case facts, issues, relevant constitutional provisions/statutes/precedents, arguments for each side, and the decision. They have been reviewed by both legal experts and educators and are ready for classroom use.