Elrod v. Burns,427 U.S. 347 (1976), CONSTITUTIONAL LAW

Nature of the Case

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Facts

The sheriff's office in Cook Co., Illinois changed from Republican to Democrat in 1970. The new regime fired all civil service workers in the office who did not switch allegiance to the Democratic Party. Burns (P) and others challenged the constitutionality of this action, and the lower court held the dismissals to be unconstitutional.