Hugo Black

“ But to my way of thinking, when a man is charged by a governmental unit with conduct for which the Government can impose a penalty of imprisonment for any amount of time, I doubt if I could ever hold it petty. ”

“ Nor do I take any stock in the idea that by naming an offense for which a man can be imprisoned a 'contempt,' he is any the less charged with a crime. See Green v. United States, 356 U.S. 165, 193, 78 S.Ct. 632, 648, 2 L.Ed.2d 672 (dissenting opinion) , and United States v. Barnett, 376 U.S. 681, 724, 84 S.Ct. 984, 1007, 12 L.Ed.2d 23 (dissenting opinion) . Those who commit offenses against courts should be no less entitled to the Bill of Rights than those who commit offenses against the public in general. ”

“ I cannot say what is and what is not a 'petty crime.' I certainly believe, however, that where punishment of as much as six months can be imposed, I could not classify the offense as 'petty' if that means that people tried for it are to be tried as if we had no Bill of Rights. Art. ”