Schenck v. United States

Schenck v. United States (1919) was a landmark Supreme Court case involving Charles Schenck, who distributed leaflets opposing the draft during World War I. He was charged under the Espionage Act for encouraging resistance to military service. The Court ruled that speech creating a "clear and present danger" to national security is not protected by the First Amendment. This case established limits on free speech, particularly in times of war, emphasizing that the context of speech matters, and certain expressions may be restricted if they pose significant risks to public safety or order.