The Milligan Papers

The Milligan Papers refer to a collection of legal documents and court decisions related to the case Milligan v. United States (1916). It addressed whether civilians accused of disloyalty during wartime could be tried by military tribunals instead of civilian courts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that only civilian courts have the authority to try civilians, emphasizing the importance of preserving constitutional rights even during wartime. This case reinforced the principle that military tribunals cannot replace civilian courts for criminal cases involving U.S. citizens, affirming the constitutional protections of due process and civilian judicial authority.