Summary

United States v. Nugent — Opinion of the Court

It is not called upon to devise a just procedure; merely to apply one. Considering the traditionally high respect that dissent, and particularly religous dissent, has enjoyed in our view of a free society, this Court ought not to reject a construction of congressional language which assures justice in cases where the sincerity of another's religious conviction is at stake and where prison may be the alternative to an abandonment of conscience.
Source: Wikisource

United States v. Nugent — Opinion of the Court

If the local board denies the claim, the responsibility for review, if sought, falls upon the appeal board. The Department of Justice takes no action which is decisive. Its duty is to advise, to render an auxiliary service to the appeal board in this difficult class of cases. Congress was under no compulsion to supply this auxiliary service-to provide for a more exhaustive processing of the conscientious objector's appeal. Registrants who claim exemption for some reason other than conscientious objection, and whose claims are denied, are entitled to no 'hearing' before the Department.
Source: Wikisource

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