Palmer v. BRG of Georgia Inc./Dissent Marshall

Justice MARSHALL, dissenting.

Although I agree that the limited information before us appears to indicate that the Court of Appeals erred in its decision below, I continue to believe that summary dispositions deprive litigants of a fair opportunity to be heard on the merits and significantly increase the risk of an erroneous decision. See Smith v. Ohio, 494 U.S. 541, 544, 110 S.Ct. 1288,, 108 L.Ed.2d 464 (1990) (MARSHALL, J., dissenting); Pennsylvania v. Bruder, 488 U.S. 9, 11-12, 109 S.Ct. 205, 207, 102 L.Ed.2d 172 (1988) (MARSHALL, J., dissenting); Rhodes v. Stewart, 488 U.S. 1, 4-5, 109 S.Ct. 202, 203-04, 102 L.Ed.2d 1 (1988) (MARSHALL, J., dissenting); Buchanan v. Stanships, Inc., 485 U.S. 265, 269-270, 108 S.Ct. 1130, 1132, 99 L.Ed.2d 289 (1988) (MARSHALL, J., dissenting); Commissioner v. McCoy, 484 U.S. 3, 7-8, 108 S.Ct. 217, 219-20, 98 L.Ed.2d 2 (1987) (MARSHALL, J., dissenting). I therefore dissent from the Court's decision today to reverse summarily the judgment below.