Citations 489 U.S. 538 (more) | End date 1989 | |
Full case name Blanton et al. v. City of North Las Vegas, Nevada Prior history Certiorari to the Supreme Court of Nevada. Subsequent history 103 Nev. 623, 748 P.2d 494, affirmed. Majority Marshall, joined by unanimous Ruling court Supreme Court of the United States People also search for Burch v. Louisiana, Alabama v. Shelton | ||
Blanton v. North Las Vegas, 489 U.S. 538 (1989), is a United States Supreme Court case clarifying the limitations of the right to trial by jury.
Contents
Background
Melvin R. Blanton was charged with Driving under the influence of alcohol. His petition for a jury trial was denied and he was instead given a bench trial. Blanton appealed, arguing that his sixth amendment right to trial by jury had been violated.
Opinion of the Court
The Court ruled that Blanton did not have the right to a jury trial because the crime he was charged with was "petty". The Court went on to elaborate: "offenses for which the maximum period of incarceration is six months, or less, are presumptively petty...a defendant can overcome this, and become entitled to a jury trial,..by showing that additional penalties [such as monetary fines]...are...so severe [as to indicate] that the legislature clearly determined that the offense is a serious one."