Snepp v. United States (1979)
- Docket
- 78-1871
- Decided
- 1979-01-01
Summary
Question: Were Snepp's First Amendment rights violated? Conclusion: No. The Court upheld the lower court's ruling and agreed that Snepp had breached the "constructive trust" between him and the government. That was especially significant in this case since this type of violation by a former agent "impairs the CIA's ability to perform its statutory duties" and potentially jeopardizes the safety of current government operatives and Snepp himself. The Court reached this decision without hearing oral argument by the parties.