Edwards v. California

314 U.S. 160 (1941)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

D is a citizen of the United States and a resident of California. In December 1939, D left his home in California, for Spur, Texas, with the intention of bringing back to Marysville his wife's brother, Frank Duncan, a citizen of the United States and a resident of Texas. D learned that Duncan had last been employed by the Works Progress Administration. Duncan was an indigent person. They left Spur on January 1, 1940, entered California by way of Arizona on January 3, and reached Marysville on January 5. Duncan had about $20 and it had all been spent by the time he reached Marysville. He lived with appellant for about ten days until he obtained financial assistance from the Farm Security Administration. A complaint was filed against D under § 2615 of the Welfare and Institutions Code of California, which provides: 'Every person, firm or corporation or officer or agent thereof that brings or assists in bringing into the State any indigent person who is not a resident of the State, knowing him to be an indigent person, is guilty of a misdemeanor.' D was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment in the county jail, and sentence was suspended. The conviction was affirmed. The Supreme Court granted certiorari.