In re Summers/Opinion of the Court

MR. JUSTICE REED delivered the opinion of the Court.

Petitioner sought a writ of certiorari from this Court under Section 237(b) of the Judicial Code to review the action of the Supreme Court of Illinois in denying petitioner's prayer for admission to the practice of law in that state. It was alleged that the denial was "on the sole ground that he is a conscientious objector to war" or to phrase petitioner's contention slightly differently "because of his conscientious scruples against participation in war." Petitioner challenges here the right of the Supreme Court to exclude him from the bar under the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States which secured to him protection against state action in violation of the principles of the First Amendment. Because of the importance of the tendered issue in the domain of civil rights, we granted certiorari. 323 U.S. 705.

[p563] Since the proceedings were not treated as judicial by the Supreme Court of Illinois, the record is not in the customary form. It shows accurately, however, the steps by which the issue was developed and the action of the Supreme Court on the prayer for admission to the practice of law in the State of Illinois. From the record it appears that Clyde Wilson Summers has complied with all prerequisites for admission to the bar of Illinois except that he has not obtained the certificate of the Committee on Character and Fitness. Cf. Illinois Revised Statutes 1943, c. 110, § 259.58. No report appears in the record from the Committee. An unofficial letter from the Secretary gives his personal views. A petition was filed in the [p564] Supreme Court on August 2, 1943, which alleged that petitioner was informed in January, 1943, that the Committee declined to sign a favorable certificate. The petition set out that the sole reason for the Committee's refusal was that petitioner was a conscientious objector to war, and averred that such reason did not justify his exclusion because of the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The denial of the petition for admission is informal. It consists of a letter of September 20, 1943, to the Secretary of the Committee which is set out below, a letter of the same date to Mr. Summers and a third letter of March 22, 1944, to Mr. Summers' attorney on petition for rehearing. These latter two letters are set out in note 8.

The answer of the Justices to these allegations does not appear in the record which was transmitted from the Supreme Court of Illinois to this Court but in their return to the rule to show cause why certiorari should not be granted. The answer is two-fold: First, that the proceedings were not a matter of judicial cognizance in Illinois and that no case or controversy exists in this Court [p565] under Article III of the Federal Constitution; second, that assuming the sole ground for refusing to petitioner admission to practice was his profession of conscientious objection to military service, such refusal did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment because the requirement for applicants for admission to the bar to take an oath to support the Constitution of Illinois could not be met. In view of his religious affirmations, petitioner could not agree, freely, to serve in the Illinois militia. Therefore petitioner was not barred because of his religion but because he could not in good faith take the prescribed oath, even though he might be willing to do so. We turn to consideration of the Justices' contentions.

Case or Controversy. The return of the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices states that the correspondence and communications of petitioner with the Justices were not spread upon the records of the Supreme Court of Illinois and that under the law of Illinois this petition for admission to the bar does not constitute a case or controversy or a judicial proceeding but is a mere application for appointment as an officer of the court. We of course accept this authoritative commentary upon the law of Illinois as establishing for that state the non-judicial character of an application for admission to the bar. We take it that the law of Illinois treats the action of the Su- [p566] preme Court on this petition as a ministerial act which is performed by virtue of the judicial power, such as the appointment of a clerk or bailiff or the specification of the requirements of eligibility or the course of study for applicants for admission to the bar, rather than a judicial proceeding.

For the purpose of determining whether the action of the Supreme Court of Illinois in denying Summers' petition for an order for admission to practice law in Illinois is a judgment in a judicial proceeding which involves a case or controversy reviewable in this Court under Article III, § 2, Cl. 1, of the Constitution of the United States, we must for ourselves appraise the circumstances of the refusal. ''Nashville, C. & St. L. Ry. v. Wallace'', 288 U.S. 249, 259. Cf. Bridges v. California, 314 U.S. 252, 259, 260; Nixon v. Condon, 286 U.S. 73, 88; First National Bank v. Hartford, 273 U.S. 548, 552; Truax v. Corrigan, 257 U.S. 312, 324.

A case arises, within the meaning of the Constitution, when any question respecting the Constitution, treatise [p567] or laws of the United States has assumed "such a form that the judicial power is capable of acting on it." Osborn v. Bank, 9 Wheat. 738, 819. The Court was then considering the power of the bank to sue in the federal courts. A declaration on rights as they stand must be sought, not on rights which may arise in the future, Prentis v. Atlantic Coast Line Co., 211 U.S. 210, 226, and there must be an actual controversy over an issue, not a desire for an abstract declaration of the law. Muskrat v. United States, 219 U.S. 346, 361; Fairchild v. Hughes, 258 U.S. 126, 129. The form of the proceeding is not significant. It is the nature and effect which is controlling. ''Nashville, C. & St. L. Ry. v. Wallace'', 288 U.S. 249, 259.

The brief for the Justices raises the question as to who are the adversary parties. The petition in the state court was entitled, "Clyde Wilson, Summers, Petitioner, v. Committee on Character and Fitness for Third Appellate District, Respondent." The prayer sought relief against those named as respondents. The record does not show that any process issued or that any appearance was made. Our rule on the petition for certiorari required the Supreme Court of Illinois to show cause why a record should not be certified and the writ of certiorari granted. The return was by the Justices, not by the Court. The Supreme Court of Illinois, however, concluded that the "report of the Committee on Character and Fitness should be sustained." Thus it considered the petition on its merits. While no entry was placed by the Clerk in the file, on a docket, or on a judgment roll, the Court took cognizance of the petition and passed an order which is validated by the signature of the presiding officer. The act of adjudging to which we have referred is contained in a letter addressed to petitioner, which reads as follows:

"Your petition to be admitted to the bar, notwithstanding the unfavorable report of the Committee on Character and Fitness for the [p568] Third Appellate Court District, has received the consideration of the Court.

"I am directed to advise you that the Court is of the opinion that the report of the Committee on Character and Fitness should be sustained.

"Yours very truly, June C. Smith, Chief Justice."

The letter was certified by the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Illinois under its seal as "filed in this office in a certain cause entitled in this Court. Non Record No. 462. In Re Clyde Wilson Summers."

Later another letter was written in regard to the admission which reads as follows:

"March 22, 1944.

"Mr. Francis Heisler, Attorney at Law, 77 West Washington Street,

"Suite 1324, Chicago, 2, Illinois.

"In re: Clyde Wilson Summers.

"Dear Sir:

"Your petition on behalf of Clyde Wilson Summers to reconsider the prior action of the Court sustaining the report of the Committee on Character and Fitness for the Third Appellate Court District, has had the consideration of the Court.

"I am directed to advise you that the Court declines to further consider its former action in this matter.

"Yours very truly, June C. Smith, Chief Justice."{dhr}}

By stipulation of petitioner and the Justices, the Clerk prepared a supplemental record in this cause which includes the following: (1) a transcript of the proceedings before the Character Committee; (2) the letter of March 22, 1944; (3) a certificate that the transcript is the original and the letter a document of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Where relief is thus sought in a state court against the action of a com- [p568] mittee, appointed to advise the court, and the court takes cognizance of the complaint without requiring the appearance of the committee or its members, we think the consideration of the petition by the Supreme Court, the body which has authority itself by its own act to give the relief sought, makes the proceeding adversary in the sense of a true case or controversy.

A claim of a present right to admission to the bar of a state and a denial of that right is a controversy. When the claim is made in a state court and a denial of the right is [p569] made by judicial order, it is a case which may be reviewed under Article III of the Constitution when federal questions are raised and proper steps taken to that end, in this Court.

Disqualification Under Illinois Constitution. The Justices justify their refusal to admit petitioner to practice before the courts of Illinois on the ground of petitioner's inability to take in good faith the required oath to support the Constitution of Illinois. His inability to take such an oath, the justices submit, shows that the Committee on Character and Fitness properly refused to certify to his moral character and moral fitness to be an officer of the Court, charged with the administration of justice under the Illinois law. His good citizenship, they think, judged by the standards required for practicing law in Illinois, is not satisfactorily shown. A conscientious belief in non- [p570] violence to the extent that the believer will not use force to prevent wrong, no matter how aggravated, and so cannot swear in good faith to support the Illinois Constitution, the Justices contend, must disqualify such a believer for admission.

Petitioner appraises the denial of admission from the viewpoint of a religionist. He said in his petition:

"The so-called ‘misconduct’ for which petitioner could be reproached for is his taking the New Testament too seriously. Instead of merely reading or preaching the Sermon on the Mount, he tries to practice it. The only fault of the petitioner consists in his attempt to act as a good Christian in accordance with his interpretation of the Bible, and according to the dictates of his conscience. We respectfully submit that the profession of law does not shut its gates to persons who have qualified in all other respects, even when they follow in the footsteps of that Great Teacher of mankind who delivered the Sermon on the Mount. We respectfully submit that under out Constitutional guarantees even good Christians who have met all the requirements for the admission to the bar may be admitted to practice law."

Thus a court created to administer the laws of Illinois, as it understands them and charged particularly with the protection of justice in the courts of Illinois through supervision of admissions to the bar found itself faced with the dilemma of excluding an applicant whom it deemed disqualified for the responsibilities of the profession of law or of admitting the applicant because of its deeply rooted tradition in freedom of belief. The responsibility for choice as to the personnel of its bar rests [p571] with Illinois. Only a decision which violated a federal right secured by the Fourteenth Amendment would authorize our intervention. It is said that the action of the Supreme Court of Illinois is contrary to the principles of that portion of the First Amendment which guarantees the free exercise of religion. Of course, under our Constitutional system, men could not be excluded from the practice of law, or indeed from following any other calling, simply because they belong to any of our religious groups, whether Protestant, Catholic, Quaker or Jewish, assuming it conceivable that any state of the Union would draw such a religious line. We cannot say that any such purpose to discriminate motivated the action of the Illinois Supreme Court.

The sincerity of petitioner's beliefs are not questioned. He has been classified as a conscientious objector under the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, 54 Stat. 885, as amended. Without detailing petitioner's testimony before the Committee or his subsequent statements in the record, his position may be compendiously stated as one of non-violence. Petitioner will not serve in the armed forces. While he recognizes a difference between the military and police forces, he would not act in the latter to coerce threatened violations. Petitioner would not use force to meet aggressions against himself or his family, no matter how aggravated or whether or not carrying a danger of bodily harm to himself or others. He is a believer in passive resistance. We need to consider only his attitude toward service in the armed forces.

Illinois has constitutional provisions which require service in the militia in time of war of men of petitioner's age group. The return of the Justices alleges that petitioner has not made any showing that he would serve not- [p572] withstanding his conscientious objections. This allegation is undenied in the record and unchallenged by brief. We accept the allegation as to unwillingness to serve in the militia as established. While under § 5(g) of the Selective Training and Service Act, supra, conscientious objectors to participation in war in any form now are permitted to do non-war work of national importance, this is by grace of Congressional recognition of their beliefs. Hamilton v. Regents, 293 U.S. 245, 261–65, and cases cited. The Act may be repealed. No similar exemption during war exists under Illinois law. The Hamilton decision was made in 1934, in time of peace. This decision as to the powers of the state government over military training is applicable to the power of Illinois to require military service from her citizens.

The United States does not admit to citizenship the alien who refuses to pledge military service. United States v. Schwimmer, 279 U.S. 644; United States v. Macintosh, 283 U.S. 605. Even the powerful dissents which emphasized the deep cleavage in this Court on the issue of ad- [p573] mission to citizenship did not challenge the right of Congress to require military service from every able-bodied man. 279 U.S. at 653; 283 U.S. at 632. It is impossible for us to conclude that the insistence of Illinois that an officer who is charged with the administration of justice must take an oath to support the Constitution of Illinois and Illinois' interpretation of that oath to require a willingness to perform military service violates the principles of religious freedom which the Fourteenth Amendment secures against state action, when a like interpretation of a similar oath as to the Federal Constitution bars an alien from national citizenship.

Affirmed.